DEXA Scan Cost: Prices With & Without Insurance

A DEXA scan (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) is a low-dose X-ray test that measures bone density. Some facilities also offer it as a body composition scan. The equipment is the same in both cases, but the order and the billing can differ, and that is where much of the price gap starts.

The facility sets most of what you pay. Hospital outpatient departments, freestanding imaging centers and private wellness clinics each set their own rates, and the same scan can be priced very differently a few miles apart. Whether a doctor's order is needed, and whether a radiologist's reading is billed separately, also changes the total.

Cash-pay prices vary widely. MDsave puts its estimated national average at $335, and GoodRx reports an average of $300 or more. Those two figures sit near the upper part of the overall range, which starts far lower at some facilities.

If you are paying out of pocket, the cheapest option is often not the nearest hospital. Independent imaging centers frequently list a flat self-pay rate, and some will quote it over the phone. Ask whether the price covers the scan itself, the radiologist's interpretation and any written report, since some places bill those separately.

Prices differ by region. Sidecar Health publishes average cash prices for several states, and the spread is noticeable.

These are averages across many facilities, not a quote for any one location. A scan at a particular hospital in a low-priced state can still cost more than a scan at a particular imaging center in a high-priced one. Use the state figures as a rough guide and then compare actual providers near you.

Whether insurance pays depends on your plan and on why the scan was ordered. Plans often have rules about who qualifies for coverage, how often a scan is covered, and whether the facility is in network. Those details are in your plan documents, and a licensed doctor or your insurer can tell you how they apply to you.

What you owe if the scan is covered usually comes down to three things:

• Deductible: If you have not met it, you may pay a larger share until you do.
• Copay or coinsurance: Imaging often carries one or the other, and the amount can differ between a hospital and a freestanding center.
• Network status: An out-of-network facility can leave you with a bigger bill or none of the cost covered.

Call your insurer before you book. Ask for the exact procedure code from the facility, then ask what your share will be at that location.

Several factors move the bill up or down:

• Type of facility: Hospital outpatient departments commonly charge more than standalone imaging centers.
• Location: Prices differ by state and by metro area, as the state figures above show.
• Scan purpose: A bone density study ordered by a doctor and a body composition scan sold as a wellness service are often priced and billed differently.
• Reading and report: The radiologist's interpretation may be included or billed as a separate line.
• Scan area: Some orders cover one or two sites on the body, others cover more, and the count can affect the charge.
• Self-pay discounts: Many facilities cut the price for patients who pay at the time of service.

Two reputable sources can report different numbers for the same scan. They draw on different data and measure different things. One may reflect negotiated rates posted by facilities, another may reflect what patients actually paid, and a third may average listed cash prices. Sample size, date and geography all play a part.

MDsave gives a range rather than a single figure, so it shows how far prices can spread. GoodRx gives an average, and its figure is a floor rather than a ceiling. Any national number is only a starting point for questions to ask a provider.

You have more room to negotiate than most people expect.

1. Ask for the self-pay price. Request it before you book, and ask what it includes.
2. Compare at least three locations. Include a hospital, an imaging center and, if offered, a wellness clinic.
3. Check posted prices. Hospitals are required to publish their prices online, and a search for the scan name on the hospital's site may turn up a cash rate.
4. Use a price-comparison tool. Services such as MDsave and GoodRx list cash prices by location, and some let you pay in advance.
5. Ask about payment plans. Some facilities offer installments for larger bills.
6. Confirm network status. If you have insurance, a covered in-network center is often cheaper than paying cash at a different one.

• Is the radiologist's reading included in the price?
• Do I need a doctor's order, and does the facility accept it from my provider?
• Is the price a flat cash rate or a billed amount that could change?
• Which body sites does the quoted scan cover?
• Is there a separate facility fee?
• Will I get a written estimate?

Getting the answers in writing protects you if the final bill differs from the phone quote.