US Health Care Costs

CT scan of the neck spine, without contrast

CPT 72125 · Scans and imaging · hospital facility charge

At the 176 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $1,600, and most charge between $211 and $10,735 (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

$1,600typical cash price
$872typical commercial insurer rate
$3,056typical list price
176hospitals in 37 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWI$1.5kVTNHWA$1.4kID$819MTNDMN$428IL$2.3kMI$144NY$794MA$1.7kOR$1.9kNV$8.7kWYSD$2.7kIA$2.9kIN$571OH$791PA$730NJ$142CT$1.0kRICA$3.6kUT$1.6kCO$2.3kNE$787MO$951KY$596WVVA$1.6kMD$141DE$2.1kAZ$4.2kNMKS$13kARTN$4.5kNC$1.6kSC$1.8kDCOK$2.1kLAMS$1.3kAL$2.3kGA$1.2kHITX$5.6kFL$14kPR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$2,322$2,322$2,322$274
Arizona2$4,222$666$7,777$473
California16$3,595$1,725$20,952$1,114
Colorado1$2,259$2,259$2,259$919
Connecticut1$1,045$1,045$1,045$272
Delaware1$2,109$2,109$2,109$485
Florida16$13,725$597$21,534$2,660
Georgia7$1,189$878$1,904$791
Iowa1$2,879$2,879$2,879$276
Idaho2$819$819$819$872
Illinois9$2,266$810$4,681$969
Indiana3$571$406$595$507
Kansas3$12,840$9,231$16,449$1,459
Kentucky2$596$427$765$823
Massachusetts4$1,719$1,460$1,979$655
Maryland3$141$109$185–
Michigan3$144$144$2,342$208
Minnesota1$428$428$428$604
Missouri6$951$455$2,314$717
Mississippi1$1,314$1,314$1,314$231
North Carolina6$1,577$1,039$2,020$1,365
Nebraska1$787$787$787$494
New Jersey10$142$118$580$402
Nevada1$8,724$8,724$8,724$245
New York3$794$217$1,575$263
Ohio10$791$99$1,396$211
Oklahoma3$2,094$903$2,173$1,077
Oregon1$1,887$1,887$1,887$196
Pennsylvania11$730$118$3,527$344
South Carolina5$1,761$1,282$6,422$1,111
South Dakota1$2,715$2,715$2,715$1,867
Tennessee3$4,507$704$8,309$231
Texas26$5,607$589$18,976$1,012
Utah2$1,644$1,644$1,644$1,715
Virginia7$1,600$1,600$7,214$876
Washington2$1,370$1,004$1,735$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 neck spine cost at a hospital?

At 169 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for CT scan of the neck spine is $1,600, and most charge between $211 and $10,735. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $872. 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 neck spine?

At 34 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.

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