Mid back X-ray cost in California

In California, 209 hospitals publish a cash price for X-ray of the mid back (thoracic spine), 2 views: from $60.00 to $3,543.61, with a median of $462.02. The lowest price is at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital (Hollister). The highest price is 59.1× the lowest.

• The median here, $462.02, is 66% above the US median of $278.20.
• That is 4.3× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($106.81).
• California ranks 48th of 51 states by median, cheapest first.
• 59 of 209 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 72070. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 8, 2026. See them on a map