Ultrasound Cost: Prices With & Without Insurance

An ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images of the body. The word covers many different exams: abdominal, pelvic, prenatal and others. Each one is billed as its own service, so the question of what an ultrasound costs only has a useful answer once you know which one you need.

The place matters nearly as much as the scan. A hospital, an imaging center and a doctor's office can all perform the same exam and bill very different amounts. Your insurance status then changes what you pay on top of that.

For self-pay patients, GoodRx reports $200 – $1,000, with a typical figure of $400. The upper end of that range is not a firm cap; some scans at some facilities can cost more.

Average cash prices for common types from Sidecar Health fall in a narrow band:

• Abdominal ultrasound: $257
• Pelvic ultrasound: $265
• Prenatal ultrasound: $255

These are averages across many providers, not quotes. A single facility may be below or above them.

Location moves the price. Sidecar Health also publishes abdominal ultrasound averages for individual states.

• California: $298
• New York: $296
• Texas: $257

The differences between states are modest compared with the differences between providers inside one state. Call two or three places in your area and compare.

If you have insurance, the amount you owe depends on your plan rather than on the sticker price. Things that shape your bill:

• Deductible. If you have not met it, you may pay the negotiated rate for the scan yourself.
• Copay or coinsurance. After the deductible, you may owe a flat amount or a percentage.
• Network. Facilities outside your network can cost more or may not be covered.
• Prior authorization. Some plans require approval before certain imaging.
• Where the scan is done. Hospital-based imaging is often billed differently than a freestanding center.

Call your insurer with the exact exam name and ask for an estimate of your share. Then ask the facility for its price. Neither can promise the final bill, but together they give you a range.

Different sources publish different numbers because they measure different things. Reasons include:

• Type of exam. An abdominal, pelvic, prenatal or other scan is a different billable service.
• Facility type. Hospitals often charge more than independent imaging centers.
• Professional fee. The radiologist's reading is sometimes billed separately from the technical fee for performing the scan.
• Region. Local costs and competition shape prices.
• Cash vs. billed amounts. A cash price, a price billed to insurance and the amount an insurer ultimately pays can all differ.

• Ask for the self-pay price before you book. Some facilities offer a discount for paying at the time of service.
• Compare an independent imaging center with a hospital.
• Ask whether the quote includes the radiologist's reading.
• Check your insurer's list of in-network facilities for the exam your doctor ordered.
• If a bill is large, ask for an itemized statement and about financial assistance or a payment plan.

Cat owners often search for the cost of a cat ultrasound. Veterinary pricing is separate from human imaging, and the figures on this page do not apply to it. Veterinary clinics set their own prices, and the cost may differ depending on whether a general practice or a specialist performs the scan. Call a clinic near you and ask for an estimate.

• Which exact ultrasound has been ordered, and what is its billing name?
• What is the cash price, and what is the price through my insurance?
• Is the radiologist's reading included, or billed separately?
• Do I need prior authorization?
• Is there a cheaper in-network location?

Which exam you need, and when, is a decision for the doctor who ordered it.