Price Checker / CPT 97012
How much does Mechanical Traction Therapy cost?
CPT 97012 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 21x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$20–$45
What this should cost
With insurance
~$270
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$55
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $720 is $685 over the fair price (about 21x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Mechanical Traction Therapy
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island , RI | $4,754 | $4,754 | 33007% |
| "Doctors' Center Hospital - San Fernando de la Carolina" , DE | $2,475 | $2,475 | 17135% |
| Stonewall Jackson Hospital , WV | — | — | 15597% |
| HealthSource Saginaw SAGINAW, MI | — | — | 12435% |
| Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital , PA | $82 | — | 6620% |
| Astria Sunnyside Hospital SUNNYSIDE, WA | $625 | $357 | 4252% |
| Donalsonville Hospital , GA | $316 | $269 | 2101% |
| Baylor - Dallas Dallas, TX | — | — | 1968% |
| Baylor - Fort Worth Fort Worth, TX | — | — | 1968% |
| Baylor - Frisco Frisco, TX | — | — | 1968% |
| Baylor - Lakeway Lakeway, TX | — | — | 1968% |
| Washington County Hospital and Nursing Home Chatom, AL | $86 | — | 1700% |
| Highland District Hospital HILLSBORO, OH | $192 | $154 | 1237% |
| Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute-Little Rock , AR | $150 | $38 | 945% |
| Tallahatchie General Hospital , MS | $140 | $112 | 875% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
Send us your bill and we'll compare every line item against Medicare rates and your hospital's published prices. Free review, no obligation.
About Mechanical Traction Therapy
CPT code 97012 refers to mechanical traction therapy (billing description: "Mechanical traction therapy"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $14 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $14 in a doctor's office.
The Medicare rate is the closest thing to an objective "what this work is actually worth." A fair cash price for the uninsured is generally 1.5–3x that rate. Hospital sticker (gross) charges are often far higher — but almost nobody actually pays them.
What to do if you were overcharged
- 1Send us your bill — we'll identify this code and compare it against the rates shown above.
- 2Get a dispute letter — citing the Medicare rate and your hospital's own published pricing data.
- 3We negotiate for you — 25% of savings, no savings = no fee.