Colonoscopy Cost in North Dakota (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a colonoscopy cost in North Dakota?
A colonoscopy in North Dakota is priced differently for each type of coverage. With commercial insurance it typically runs $874–$2,411, facility and physician fees combined. Medicare pays one national rate to every provider, and you generally owe about 20% of it (around $245) after the Part B deductible. Without insurance, posted hospital cash prices run $206–$1,743. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer. This estimate is based on CMS fee schedules and hospital price transparency data published under federal law.
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Where colonoscopy costs vary in North Dakota
Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.
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Cheapest Colonoscopy Providers in North Dakota
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs median ($582) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanford Fargo Medical Center | Fargo, ND | $206 | $376 below |
| 2 | Sanford Medical Center Bismarck | Bismarck, ND | $206 | $376 below |
| 3 | ST. ALEXIUS MEDICAL CENTER | Bismarck, ND | $213 | $369 below |
| 4 | CHI St. Alexius Health Williston | Williston, ND | $309 | $273 below |
| 5 | Nelson County Health System Hospital | Mcville, ND | $310 | $272 below |
| 6 | SOUTHWEST HEALTHCARE SERVICES | Bowman, ND | $316 | $266 below |
| 7 | ST JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CENTER | Dickinson, ND | $335 | $247 below |
| 8 | Essentia Health Fargo | ND | $370 | $212 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
- Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
- Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
- 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
- Sanford Fargo Medical Center is the lowest-cost option at $206 - $376 below the median posted price ($582), just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $582, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
- This dataset covers hospitals only - freestanding ASCs, which routinely run 30-60% cheaper for the same procedure, aren't included, so it's worth asking your doctor whether one is an option.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $950 to $2,352 | $1,223 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 20 | $325 to $1,342 | $812 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 34 | $206 to $1,743 | $582 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota | 15 | $504 to $1,392 | $780 |
| Aetna | 11 | $663 to $1,913 | $1,284 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 9 | $193 to $1,843 | $1,189 |
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 colonoscopy cost with Medicare in North Dakota?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for colonoscopy is about $950 to $2,352 (typically near $1,223). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $245 on a $1,223 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 colonoscopy cost with insurance in North Dakota?
Across 20 North Dakota hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for colonoscopy average $325 to $1,342 per hospital, with a median near $812. 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 colonoscopy cost without insurance in North Dakota?
Cash (self-pay) prices for colonoscopy at 34 North Dakota hospitals range from $206 to $1,743, with a median of $582. 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 colonoscopy cost with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota negotiated rates for colonoscopy at 15 North Dakota hospitals range from $504 to $1,392, with a median near $780. 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 colonoscopy cost with Aetna in North Dakota?
Aetna negotiated rates for colonoscopy at 11 North Dakota hospitals range from $663 to $1,913, with a median near $1,284. 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 colonoscopy cost with UnitedHealthcare in North Dakota?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for colonoscopy at 9 North Dakota hospitals range from $193 to $1,843, with a median near $1,189. 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 colonoscopy
The same colonoscopy 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.
- Facility fee $204–$2,115
- Professional fee $84–$8,276
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $310–$2,279
- Professional fee $84–$8,276
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $222–$1,642
- Professional fee $84–$8,276
- Anesthesia $184–$492
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
Note: Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are often 30–60% cheaper than hospital outpatient departments for the same procedure. Most ASC prices are not in the hospital transparency dataset above. Ask your doctor whether this procedure can be done at a freestanding ASC.
Sanford Health and CHI St. Alexius divide most of North Dakota's hospital market, with Bismarck and Fargo each effectively dominated by one system. The state's oil-economy wage growth has increased hospital labor costs, pushing prices above what the rural market structure would otherwise suggest. Critical access hospitals cover most of the rural tier. Colonoscopy pricing is particularly sensitive to screening vs. diagnostic coding. A screening colonoscopy is typically covered at 100% under preventive care benefits, but if a polyp is removed or a finding is documented during the same visit, the claim is often re-coded as diagnostic - triggering your deductible and coinsurance. Ambulatory surgery centers perform over 70% of colonoscopies nationally and charge substantially less than hospital outpatient settings.
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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $524 versus $956 inpatient (about 1.8× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick. The biggest swing for this procedure is screening versus diagnostic coding - a polyp removed during a routine screening can recode the whole visit as diagnostic and trigger cost-sharing you weren't expecting.
On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$1,430 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$286 |
| Out-of-network provider | $3,146+ |
Frequently asked questions: colonoscopy costs in North Dakota
How much does a colonoscopy cost in North Dakota?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $286, with most facilities between $92 and $477 (based on 32 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). That is the hospital's negotiated rate alone; with physician fees, a commercially insured patient's full episode is typically $874–$2,411. Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of North Dakota hospitals run $206–$1,743; 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 colonoscopy in North Dakota?
Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our North Dakota data is Sanford Fargo Medical Center in Fargo at about $206. By metro, Fargo has the lowest median ($206). Freestanding ambulatory surgery centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
Why is a colonoscopy so much cheaper at some North Dakota hospitals?
Typical prices vary about 5.2× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In North Dakota, the median cash (self-pay) price is $582 versus a median negotiated rate of $812 - 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 colonoscopy in North Dakota?
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
- Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
- How to negotiate your medical bills
- EOB vs medical bill: complete guide
- Already have a bill? Check it for errors
- How to read an EOB line by line
Other procedures in North Dakota
Colonoscopy, elsewhere
What matters before you schedule
ASC vs. hospital
Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2-4x more than ambulatory surgery centers for the same colonoscopy - same outcome, very different bill. Call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote at each setting you're considering.
What's on your bill
A colonoscopy involves multiple providers who bill separately - typically Facility Fee, Gastroenterologist Fee, Anesthesia. Check each line item against your Explanation of Benefits to catch billing errors.
Cost by type
Which type your doctor orders for this colonoscopy changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: Billed as preventive care - often covered at $0 under the ACA when you are average-risk and in-network.
What to ask before you book
Get the CPT code from your doctor, confirm every provider involved (not just the facility) is in-network, ask for the cash-pay rate if you're uninsured or haven't met your deductible, and request a written estimate for colonoscopy before you schedule.
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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