Cash and insurer prices
Cash or insurance: which costs less at the hospital
Updated November 9, 2026
Hospitals must publish two prices that patients rarely see side by side: the discounted price for paying cash, and the rate each insurance plan has agreed to pay. We compared them wherever a hospital publishes both, at 82 hospitals so far.
For outpatient procedures, scans and tests, insurers' rates were usually lower: cash came out cheaper 26% of the time, at 82 hospitals. For hospital stays, the cash price was usually lower: cash came out cheaper 68% of the time, at 15 hospitals. Fewer hospitals publish a cash price for a hospital stay than for a test.
Each hospital's cash price is compared with the median rate of its commercial plans (3 or more plans). "Typical" is the median across hospitals. Procedures need 3 or more hospitals to be listed.
Outpatient procedures, scans and tests
| Procedure or stay | Hospitals | Cash lower at | Typical cash price | Typical insurer rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, with contrast CPT 74177 | 78 | 18% | $2,362 | $1,310 |
| MRI of the brain, with and without contrast CPT 70553 | 78 | 17% | $2,602 | $1,441 |
| MRI of the knee, without contrast CPT 73721 | 76 | 20% | $1,717 | $937 |
| Comprehensive metabolic panel (blood test) CPT 80053 | 76 | 17% | $186 | $38 |
| Emergency room visit, highest level CPT 99285 | 72 | 29% | $2,768 | $2,415 |
| Complete blood count (CBC) CPT 85025 | 59 | 24% | $45 | $28 |
| Colonoscopy CPT 45378 | 40 | 50% | $2,504 | $2,641 |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy CPT 45380 | 37 | 49% | $2,609 | $3,254 |
| Gallbladder removal (laparoscopic) CPT 47562 | 18 | 28% | $17,445 | $13,061 |
| Cataract surgery CPT 66984 | 10 | 50% | $3,415 | $4,622 |
| Knee arthroscopy (meniscus) CPT 29881 | 8 | 50% | $4,726 | $6,257 |
| Hip replacement CPT 27130 | 7 | 43% | $14,830 | $15,897 |
| Knee replacement CPT 27447 | 7 | 43% | $15,153 | $15,897 |
| Vaginal delivery, with prenatal and postpartum care CPT 59400 | 3 | 33% | $3,786 | $2,738 |
Hospital stays
Before you pay cash
- The insurer rate is the total the plan and you pay together. With a high deductible you may owe all of it, so a lower cash price can save money.
- Cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. If you expect large bills this year, going through insurance may still be better.
- These are the hospital's charges only. Doctors (surgeon, radiologist, anesthesiologist) usually bill separately.
- Ask the hospital for a written estimate of the cash price before the procedure.
More hospitals are added every night, so the comparison widens over time.
Sources: hospitals' own price files (45 CFR 180), commercial plans only, one rate per payer and plan, Medicare and Medicaid plans left out. How the numbers work.