FairWaitSpinal fusion (lower back) cost in the US
The list price and the amount actually paid for spinal fusion (lower back) at every US hospital with Medicare data — know the cost before you go.
Lowest cost hospitals
The 15 hospitals where the least was actually paid, on average, for spinal fusion (lower back) (Medicare group: DRG 460: Spinal fusion except cervical, without major complications).
| Hospital | Location | Owner | List price (billed) | Actually paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delray Medical Center | Delray Beach, FL | For-profit | $382,960 | $18,840 |
| Lehigh Valley Hospital - Dickson City | Dickson City, PA | Non-profit | $153,355 | $19,649 |
| Baylor Surgical Hospital at Las Colinas | Irving, TX | For-profit | $71,404 | $21,673 |
| Sterling Surgical Hospital | Slidell, LA | For-profit | $126,013 | $21,745 |
| St Vincent's Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | Non-profit | $86,341 | $21,783 |
| Legent Orthopedic + Spine | San Antonio, TX | For-profit | $145,362 | $22,232 |
| Jupiter Medical Center | Jupiter, FL | Non-profit | $145,759 | $22,370 |
| Crestwood Medical Center | Huntsville, AL | For-profit | $320,146 | $22,372 |
| Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery | Lima, OH | For-profit | $113,964 | $22,399 |
| St Joseph's Hospital - Savannah | Savannah, GA | Non-profit | $108,576 | $22,521 |
| Arkansas Surgical Hospital | No Little Rock, AR | For-profit | $49,380 | $22,647 |
| St Francis-Downtown | Greenville, SC | Non-profit | $160,320 | $22,709 |
| Flowers Hospital | Dothan, AL | For-profit | $301,762 | $22,781 |
| The Hospital at Westlake Medical Center | Austin, TX | For-profit | $271,907 | $22,786 |
| Williamson Medical Center | Franklin, TN | Government | $81,997 | $22,818 |
Highest list prices
List prices are what hospitals bill before discounts — usually far above what's paid.
| Hospital | Location | Owner | List price (billed) | Actually paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cjw Medical Center | Richmond, VA | For-profit | $695,913 | $25,230 |
| St Joseph's Hospital | Tucson, AZ | Non-profit | $640,919 | $28,308 |
| Henrico Doctors' Hospital | Richmond, VA | Non-profit | $597,512 | $26,190 |
| Medical City Plano | Plano, TX | For-profit | $573,462 | $31,184 |
| Baptist Medical Center | San Antonio, TX | For-profit | $558,037 | $32,088 |
| El Camino Health | Mountain View, CA | Government | $549,607 | $56,149 |
| Alaska Regional Hospital | Anchorage, AK | For-profit | $487,455 | $46,062 |
| Northwest Health - Porter | Valparaiso, IN | For-profit | $484,969 | $38,584 |
| Medical City Fort Worth | Fort Worth, TX | For-profit | $471,521 | $36,053 |
| Sky Ridge Medical Center | Lone Tree, CO | Non-profit | $466,914 | $35,185 |
By state
| State | Typical list price | Typically paid | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL | $90,395 | $24,073 | 11 |
| AR | $113,275 | $24,230 | 8 |
| MS | $93,582 | $24,881 | 6 |
| LA | $125,609 | $24,980 | 11 |
| IA | $117,331 | $25,694 | 8 |
| OK | $126,924 | $25,896 | 13 |
| KS | $117,039 | $27,021 | 12 |
| NC | $146,303 | $27,315 | 21 |
| FL | $222,836 | $27,605 | 48 |
| NE | $114,235 | $27,880 | 6 |
| MO | $128,530 | $28,057 | 18 |
| SD | $133,468 | $28,444 | 6 |
| OH | $122,684 | $28,596 | 29 |
| IN | $182,536 | $28,778 | 18 |
| TX | $154,086 | $29,012 | 46 |
| PA | $131,576 | $29,527 | 35 |
| AZ | $208,856 | $29,641 | 16 |
| WV | $148,526 | $29,667 | 4 |
| MI | $104,830 | $29,708 | 18 |
| SC | $154,560 | $29,839 | 17 |
| TN | $146,993 | $30,083 | 14 |
| ID | $131,572 | $30,269 | 6 |
| VA | $161,510 | $30,293 | 22 |
| UT | $108,262 | $30,464 | 6 |
| MT | $103,528 | $30,963 | 4 |
| MN | $96,455 | $31,169 | 10 |
| IL | $134,183 | $31,273 | 23 |
| WI | $106,989 | $31,381 | 8 |
| CO | $224,454 | $31,620 | 9 |
| NH | $126,430 | $31,755 | 5 |
| GA | $175,649 | $33,022 | 20 |
| KY | $247,442 | $33,048 | 6 |
| NV | $218,123 | $35,389 | 4 |
| NJ | $165,859 | $36,919 | 19 |
| WA | $157,130 | $37,409 | 9 |
| MA | $74,936 | $37,501 | 17 |
| OR | $132,004 | $37,897 | 4 |
| CT | $122,998 | $38,883 | 7 |
| RI | $79,973 | $39,897 | 3 |
| CA | $195,565 | $40,782 | 43 |
| NY | $160,171 | $41,219 | 29 |
| DC | $204,681 | $42,493 | 4 |
| AK | $176,893 | $46,062 | 3 |
| MD | $55,732 | $50,060 | 19 |
Common questions
How much does spinal fusion (lower back) cost in the US?
Across 656 US hospitals in 2024 Medicare data, the typical (median) hospital billed $144,936 on average and was actually paid $31,128 by Medicare and the patient. What you pay depends on your insurance: ask the hospital for its cash price, or your insurer for an estimate, before you go.
Source: CMS — Medicare Inpatient and Outpatient Hospitals by Provider and Service (2024). All data sources.