US Health Care Costs

CT scan of the chest, without contrast

CPT 71250 · Scans and imaging · hospital facility charge

At the 176 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $1,407, and most charge between $278 and $9,713 (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

$1,407typical cash price
$745typical commercial insurer rate
$2,726typical list price
176hospitals in 37 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWI$1.5kVTNHWA$1.4kID$819MTNDMN$428IL$2.3kMI$144NY$833MA$1.7kOR$1.9kNV$11kWYSD$2.6kIA$2.1kIN$571OH$708PA$1.1kNJ$139CT$1.7kRICA$2.1kUT$1.6kCO$1.9kNE$651MO$787KY$590WVVA$1.4kMD$137DE$2.5kAZ$2.9kNMKS$13kARTN$4.0kNC$1.4kSC$1.4kDCOK$1.4kLAMS$1.2kAL$2.2kGA$1.0kHITX$5.0kFL$13kPR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$2,186$2,186$2,186$226
Arizona2$2,924$666$5,182$473
California16$2,138$525$22,592$363
Colorado1$1,895$1,895$1,895$919
Connecticut1$1,690$1,690$1,690$269
Delaware1$2,454$2,454$2,454$485
Florida16$13,477$597$21,582$2,486
Georgia7$1,005$775$1,904$525
Iowa1$2,141$2,141$2,141$276
Idaho2$819$819$819$872
Illinois9$2,253$810$4,443$969
Indiana3$571$406$587$507
Kansas3$13,340$8,759$17,922$1,384
Kentucky2$590$427$753$812
Massachusetts4$1,650$1,465$1,741$726
Maryland3$137$106$180–
Michigan3$144$144$2,304$205
Minnesota1$428$428$428$604
Missouri6$787$455$1,448$661
Mississippi1$1,237$1,237$1,237$231
North Carolina6$1,407$791$1,619$1,141
Nebraska1$651$651$651$494
New Jersey10$139$118$625$404
Nevada1$10,717$10,717$10,717$245
New York3$833$794$1,925$265
Ohio10$708$113$1,274$211
Oklahoma3$1,416$928$2,185$772
Oregon1$1,867$1,867$1,867$194
Pennsylvania11$1,090$118$3,527$340
South Carolina5$1,425$1,282$7,061$1,304
South Dakota1$2,570$2,570$2,570$1,767
Tennessee3$4,039$704$7,373$231
Texas26$4,952$610$17,587$1,007
Utah2$1,645$1,645$1,645$1,716
Virginia7$1,373$1,373$8,531$1,166
Washington2$1,407$1,306$1,509$333
Wisconsin1$1,540$1,540$1,540$1,022
176 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 CT scan of the chest, without contrast cost at a hospital?

At 169 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for CT scan of the chest, without contrast is $1,407, and most charge between $278 and $9,713. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $745. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for CT scan of the chest, without contrast?

At 35 of the 159 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.

Before you go