US Health Care Costs

Eye exam, new patient, comprehensive

CPT 92004 · Doctor and ER visits · hospital facility charge

At the 94 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $149, and most charge between $100 and $434 (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

$149typical cash price
$279typical commercial insurer rate
$380typical list price
94hospitals in 27 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWIVTNHWAID$121MTNDMN$100IL$620MI$183NY$571MAORNVWYSDIAINOH$259PA$153NJ$143CTRICA$209UTCONEMO$113KYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGA$177HITXFL$271PR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1––––
Arizona1–––$212
California6$209$125$292$222
Delaware1–––$618
Florida8$271$60$482$214
Georgia6$177$143$269$304
Iowa1–––$339
Idaho2$121$121$121$144
Illinois4$620$620$620$628
Indiana1–––$253
Kentucky2–––$239
Michigan3$183$183$183$129
Minnesota1$100$100$100$449
Missouri2$113$100$127$81
North Carolina3–––$162
New Jersey5$143$143$152$143
Nevada1–––$209
New York1$571$571$571$188
Ohio4$259$133$385$292
Oklahoma1–––$260
Pennsylvania7$153$38$153$86
South Carolina3–––$177
Tennessee1–––$276
Texas19–––$374
Utah2–––$224
Virginia6–––$394
Washington2–––$384
94 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 eye exam, new patient, comprehensive cost at a hospital?

At 26 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for eye exam, new patient, comprehensive is $149, and most charge between $100 and $434. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $279. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for eye exam, new patient, comprehensive?

At 9 of the 20 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