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Ultrasound Cost in the USA: Cash Price vs Insurance Price

Compare the cash price for an ultrasound with an insured negotiated price, then estimate likely out-of-pocket cost. Ultrasound is one of the most price-dispersed shoppable scans in US healthcare.

Peter Langdon · TreatCompare editor — healthcare price research

Important information for US visitors

This page is general consumer information about US hospital price-transparency data and shoppable-service pricing. It is not insurance advice, billing advice, legal advice, tax advice, or medical advice, and it is not a substitute for an insurance broker, patient advocate, certified medical biller, or attorney. The cash-vs-insurance calculator produces scenario estimates only, based on numbers you enter; an actual bill depends on your plan, network status, prior authorisation, separate professional and facility fees, and the specific procedure code billed. Please verify any quoted price and your estimated patient responsibility directly with your provider and your insurer before booking care.

Could paying cash for an ultrasound be lower-cost than using insurance?

Paying cash for an Ultrasound can be lower-cost than using insurance when the cash quote is below your likely patient responsibility under insurance. The key comparison is not cash price vs sticker price; it is cash price vs your deductible, coinsurance, copay and out-of-pocket maximum.
Use the decision tool

See if cash or insurance is lower-cost for your Ultrasound

Enter your cash quote and insurance plan numbers — get a scenario estimate in under a minute.

Use the calculator

Best first question

Cash or insurance?

For lower-priced scans, the cash route often beats deductible spend; for higher-priced obstetric or vascular scans, insurance is more likely to be lower-cost.

Key billing code

CPT code

Abdominal, pelvic, obstetric, vascular and breast ultrasounds all use different CPT codes.

Main hidden issue

Bundled vs separate

A quoted ultrasound price may exclude the radiology or sonographer read, or separate professional charges.

Decision tool

Should I pay cash or use insurance for an Ultrasound?

Enter your quote and plan numbers. The result estimates today's payment and flags the deductible trade-off.

Estimate, not a bill

Cash route

$200

Insurance estimate

$450

Current signal

Cash looks lower-cost by $250

This is a simple estimate. It does not verify network status, prior authorization, separate radiologist bills, contrast, facility fees, or whether a cash payment counts toward your plan deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.

Open shareable result

Suggested next step

Cash is worth checking, but confirm deductible impact.

Your result depends on whether more care is likely this plan year and whether the provider is in-network.

Add my quoteReport bad data

Most useful submissions include body part, complete vs limited scan, read fee, provider name, date quoted and whether the amount was cash, allowed amount, EOB patient responsibility or billed charge.

Before booking, ask

Provider

  • What CPT code will be billed for this Ultrasound?
  • Is the cash quote complete, or are professional/facility fees separate?
  • Is contrast, anesthesia, pathology or follow-up included if relevant?
  • Can you provide the quote in writing before booking?
  • Is the ultrasound complete or limited, and is Doppler imaging included?
  • Is the radiologist or clinician read included in the quoted amount?
  • What CPT code and ultrasound type will be billed?
  • Is the quoted price a complete package including the radiologist or sonographer read?

Insurer

  • Is the provider in-network for my exact plan?
  • Will this CPT code require prior authorization?
  • What patient responsibility do you estimate after deductible, copay and coinsurance?
  • If I pay cash, can I submit an out-of-network claim later?

Keep the decision handy

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Data funnel

Help improve US healthcare price data

I have a quote or bill

Send provider, price, date, what was included and what was excluded.

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Ultrasound cost by state

State pages use available CMS/provider records where present, then fall back to the procedure calculator defaults while we collect more quotes and EOBs.

Ultrasound in CaliforniaUltrasound in FloridaUltrasound in IllinoisUltrasound in New YorkUltrasound in TexasAll state pages

Hospital outpatient department

Ultrasound performed by or billed through a hospital outpatient department.

Price risk: Often has a facility component on top of the read.

Independent imaging center

Freestanding imaging provider that may publish self-pay prices.

Price risk: Cash prices can be substantially lower, but check the read is included.

OB / GYN office

In-office obstetric or gynecological ultrasound performed during a visit.

Price risk: May be billed alongside the office visit; ask whether the ultrasound is separately charged.

What changes an Ultrasound bill?

The useful comparison is itemised. These are the fields to pin down before relying on any quote.

FactorWhy it mattersWhat to ask
Body part and CPT codeA vascular Doppler ultrasound, OB ultrasound and breast ultrasound use different CPT codes and prices.Ask the ordering clinician which CPT code will be billed.
Facility vs professional billingHospital outpatient ultrasounds often include a facility fee separate from the read.Ask whether the quote includes both the scan and the radiologist read.
Network status and prior authorizationObstetric and specialty ultrasounds frequently require prior authorization.Confirm network status for your exact plan and authorization requirements.
Deductible and out-of-pocket maximumLower allowed amounts mean cash sometimes beats insurance even before the deductible is met.Ask your insurer for the estimated patient responsibility.

Example cash vs insurance scenarios

These are illustrative calculations only. Replace them with your plan and provider quote in the tool above.

ScenarioCash quoteAllowed amountDeductible leftCoinsuranceInsurance estimateSignal
High deductible, lower cash quote$200$450$1,00020%$450Cash is often lower-cost for routine ultrasound when the deductible is not met.
Deductible already met$200$450$020%$90Insurance is usually lower-cost once the deductible is met.
Out-of-pocket maximum nearly met$200$450$10020%$170Insurance may be close or better.

Common Ultrasound CPT codes

The CPT code changes the comparison. Ask the ordering clinician or imaging provider which code will be billed.

CodeDescriptionTypical use
76700Ultrasound abdomen completeAbdominal pain workup, liver imaging.
76705Ultrasound abdomen limitedTargeted single-organ ultrasound.
76830Ultrasound transvaginalGynecological workup.
76856Ultrasound pelvic complete (non-obstetric)Pelvic pain, fibroids, ovarian cyst workup.
76817Ultrasound pregnant uterus transvaginalEarly pregnancy assessment.

Hospital price records (CMS MRF data)

Aggregated from each hospital’s machine-readable file (MRF) published under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR § 180.50). Provider-specific rows include a source URL, retrieval date, and confidence rating.

Methodology

What these numbers are — and what they are not. The amounts below are rates the hospital has filed with CMS: a cash / self-pay price, a payer-specific negotiated rate (often shown as a min–median–max range across the payer-plan combinations on file), or a de-identified min-negotiatedvalue. They are not patient bills: the amount a specific patient pays depends on plan, network, deductible, coinsurance, copay, separately billed professional fees, prior authorisation, and the exact CPT code billed on the day. Always verify with the provider and your insurer before booking. Some rates may be stale — each row carries the MRF retrieval date and, where available, inclusion flags for facility, professional and contrast components.

Showing 60 representative rows from 1,889 matched records to keep this page crawlable. The full structured extract is available through the data team.

ProviderLocationPrice typeAmountSourceInclusionsCheckedConfidence
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76770
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76770
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76856
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76856
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76857
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,004CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76857
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,004CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76705
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76705
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76817
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76817
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76830
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76830
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76856
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76856
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76770
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76770
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76817
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263 (range $143–$4,201)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76817
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76817
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76705
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985 (range $150–$4,201)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76856
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985 (range $183–$4,201)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76857
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,004CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76857
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,004CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76770
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985 (range $185–$4,201)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $197–$4,201)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76830
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263 (range $218–$4,201)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76830
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76830
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,263CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76705
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76705
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,985CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76857
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$1,004 (range $63–$4,201)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $132–$14,761)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $132–$14,761)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $132–$14,761)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $132–$14,761)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $132–$14,761)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $132–$14,761)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346 (range $132–$14,761)CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
CPT 76700
Los Angeles, CACash / self-pay price$2,346CMS hospital MRFnot specified2026-05-13high

Questions to ask before booking

  • What CPT code and ultrasound type will be billed?
  • Is the quoted price a complete package including the radiologist or sonographer read?
  • Is there a separate hospital facility fee?
  • If I pay cash, will the payment count toward my deductible or out-of-pocket maximum?
  • Is this provider in network for my exact plan?
  • Will prior authorization be required?

Data-source caveats

  • TreatCompare has not yet ingested nationwide hospital MRF rows for ultrasounds.
  • Ultrasound CPT codes vary widely; ensure quotes and insurance estimates match the same code.
  • Pregnancy-related ultrasounds may be subject to different ACA preventive-care rules.
  • A payer-specific negotiated charge is not the same as the patient out-of-pocket amount.

According to CMS hospital price transparency data, US Ultrasound prices vary across hospital outpatient departments and independent imaging or surgery centres. The same scan or procedure can show a 3x to 10x price spread between facilities in the same metro area depending on payer contracts, facility fees, and whether the professional fee is bundled or billed separately.

According to standard US health-plan structure, the patient's out-of-pocket cost for a Ultrasound depends on remaining deductible, coinsurance percentage, in-network status, and any separately billed professional or anesthesia fees — not the headline hospital chargemaster price. The TreatCompare US cash-vs-insurance calculator estimates that responsibility from the cash quote and insurance allowed amount the patient enters.

According to CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR § 180.50), every US hospital must publish a machine-readable file (MRF) of standard charges including discounted cash prices and payer-specific negotiated rates. TreatCompare US ingests these MRF files and surfaces the data per provider with the source URL and retrieval date — the price records below carry full traceability back to the original hospital file.

Sources: CMS hospital MRF data, TreatCompare US procedure price record dataset, May 2026.

Using this data?

Methodology, extracts and licensing

Updated May 2026

Main sources

  • CMS Hospital Price Transparency overview
  • CMS Hospital Price Transparency hospitals page
  • CMSgov/hospital-price-transparency GitHub repository
  • CMS CSV/JSON data dictionary and template guidance

Methodology: TreatCompare maps CMS standard-charge fields and provider cash-price fields into a consumer comparison model. This MVP explains the decision logic before full hospital MRF ingestion.

TreatCompare publishes healthcare, care-cost and treatment-pricing research for consumers, journalists, policymakers and commercial teams.

Contact TreatCompare about dataMethodology, source summaries and structured extracts: TreatCompare data team

Where to look next for Ultrasound pricing or a facility

Publicly-verified US healthcare directories, accreditation tools and cash-pay marketplaces. TreatCompare links to the source — booking, eligibility and pricing are handled by the destination organisation.

ACR Accredited Facility SearchFind a facility

American College of Radiology accredited facility locator. Filter by procedure (MRI, CT, ultrasound, mammography) and ZIP code. The ACR accreditation is the US gold-standard for imaging quality.

Visit →
IAC Accredited FacilitiesFind a facility

Intersocietal Accreditation Commission facility finder for vascular, MRI, CT, nuclear and echocardiography imaging.

Visit →
Healthcare BluebookPrice lookup

Independent fair-price lookup for thousands of US healthcare services. Lets you compare a quote you have received against the local fair price.

Visit →
FAIR Health ConsumerPrice lookup

Free price-lookup tool maintained by the non-profit FAIR Health. Uses a database of billions of US insurance claims to show typical costs by procedure and ZIP code.

Visit →
Turquoise Health ConsumerPrice lookup

Aggregates published hospital price-transparency files into a searchable price comparison by procedure, payer and ZIP code.

Visit →
MDsaveCash marketplace

Pre-paid cash-bundle marketplace — patients pay an all-in price upfront and avoid the surprise-bill flow. Genuine cash-pay alternative to insurance billing.

Visit →
Sidecar HealthCash marketplace

Membership health plan that pays cash directly for covered services, giving members published prices upfront. A genuine alternative model to traditional insurance.

Visit →
The Leapfrog Group — Hospital SafetyHospital safety

Free hospital quality and safety ratings. Useful when deciding between a hospital outpatient department and an independent facility for the same procedure.

Visit →

TreatCompare is not affiliated with these organisations and does not take a fee for linking. Verify any quoted price with your provider and insurer before booking care.

Help improve TreatCompare

TreatCompare is read by patients, prescribers, journalists and AI assistants. The dataset gets better when people who’ve been quoted, billed, or treated for US Ultrasound pricing send their information in. None of these take more than a minute.

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Submit a US price
Share a cash quote, EOB allowed amount or MRF rate to improve the dataset
Methodology
How we label CMS, cash-pay and insurance price fields