US Health Care Costs

Bone density scan (DEXA)

CPT 77080 · Scans and imaging · hospital facility charge

At the 171 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $454, and most charge between $143 and $1,691 (the middle 80%; price files contain errors, so the extremes are left out). Pick a state to compare its hospitals.

Estimate what you would pay

$454typical cash price
$254typical commercial insurer rate
$862typical list price
171hospitals in 36 states so far
Typical cash price by state

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$548$548$548$207
Arizona2$986$315$1,656$263
California15$533$127$1,762$208
Colorado1$114$114$114$167
Connecticut1$258$258$258$97
Delaware1$457$457$457$485
Florida16$1,133$175$5,780$336
Georgia7$408$297$1,293$189
Iowa1$574$574$574$266
Idaho2$441$441$441$353
Illinois9$423$410$923$495
Indiana3$232$149$288$286
Kansas2$1,871$1,525$2,218$310
Kentucky2$309$191$427$279
Massachusetts4$495$424$824$453
Maryland1$175$175$175–
Michigan3$144$144$628$145
Minnesota1$125$125$125$262
Missouri6$255$192$384$259
Mississippi1$230$230$230$231
North Carolina6$431$198$826$427
Nebraska1$217$217$217$256
New Jersey10$142$118$207$178
Nevada1$2,252$2,252$2,252$193
New York3$313$127$348$171
Ohio10$453$18$1,057$208
Oklahoma3$367$69$426$280
Pennsylvania11$290$118$729$191
South Carolina5$406$352$1,722$256
South Dakota1$478$478$478$328
Tennessee3$646$254$1,037$174
Texas26$753$233$2,568$205
Utah2$456$456$456$475
Virginia7$588$588$2,456$380
Washington2$639$639$639$322
Wisconsin1$468$468$468$341
171 hospitals so far: only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed, and more are added every night. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does bone density scan (DEXA) cost at a hospital?

At 156 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for bone density scan (DEXA) is $454, and most charge between $143 and $1,691. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $254. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for bone density scan (DEXA)?

At 36 of the 149 hospitals that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.

Does the price include the doctor?

No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.

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