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Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

Bone Density Test Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a bone density test cost in California?

You could pay $114 or $338 for the same bone density test in California - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 283 reporting hospitals is $148. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

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Where bone density test costs vary in California

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby imaging centers and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

What you pay for a bone density test depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

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Cheapest Bone Density Test Providers in California

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs median ($148)
1 Northern Inyo Hospital Bishop, CA $62 $86 below
2 SAN JOAQUIN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL CA $62 $86 below
3 Eisenhower Medical Center Rancho Mirage, CA $66 $82 below
4 HAZEL HAWKINS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL CA $67 $81 below
5 Providence Health System - Southern California Burbank, CA $70 $78 below
6 Doctors Hospital of Riverside Riverside, CA $70 $78 below
7 Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital Marina Del Rey, CA $71 $77 below
8 GLENDALE ADVENTIST MEDICAL CENTER CA $72 $76 below

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Before you book: three questions that change the price

  1. Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
  2. Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
  3. What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost →  ·  When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →

Quick take

  • Northern Inyo Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $62 - $86 below the median posted price ($148), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $148, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
Bone density test prices by coverage in California, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$107 to $107$107
With insurance (commercial, average)178$120 to $445$266
Without insurance (cash price)294$60 to $504$148
Anthem Blue Cross128$83 to $644$218
Aetna100$99 to $526$241
Cigna93$80 to $645$362
UnitedHealthcare66$60 to $353$179

Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.

How much does a bone density test cost with Medicare in California?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for bone density test is about $107 to $107 (typically near $107). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $21 on a $107 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.

How much does a bone density test cost with insurance in California?

Across 178 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for bone density test average $120 to $445 per hospital, with a median near $266. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.

Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.

How much does a bone density test cost without insurance in California?

Cash (self-pay) prices for bone density test at 294 California hospitals range from $60 to $504, with a median of $148. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.

Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.

How much does a bone density test cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?

Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for bone density test at 128 California hospitals range from $83 to $644, with a median near $218. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.

Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.

How much does a bone density test cost with Aetna in California?

Aetna negotiated rates for bone density test at 100 California hospitals range from $99 to $526, with a median near $241. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a bone density test cost with Cigna in California?

Cigna negotiated rates for bone density test at 93 California hospitals range from $80 to $645, with a median near $362. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a bone density test cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for bone density test at 66 California hospitals range from $60 to $353, with a median near $179. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How where you go changes what you pay for bone density test

The same bone density test bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.

Hospital Outpatient
$100–$2,757
  • Facility fee $41–$2,541
  • Professional fee $59–$216

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$100–$2,757
  • Facility fee $41–$2,541
  • Professional fee $59–$216

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (11) report prices above $966, including Temecula Valley Hospital at $1,298, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $148 versus $444 inpatient (about 3× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

What you pay out of pocket on top of this depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved is in-network - not just the facility.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$148
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$30
Out-of-network provider $326+

Frequently asked questions: bone density test costs in California

How much does a bone density test cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $51, with most facilities between $33 and $122 (based on 263 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $60–$504; outlier facilities above and below that range are left out. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get a bone density test in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop at about $62. By metro, Los Angeles has the lowest median ($96). Independent imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is a bone density test so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 3.7× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $148 versus a median negotiated rate of $266 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a bone density test in California?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Before you book

Other procedures in California

Bone Density Test, elsewhere

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).

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About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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