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

CT Chest Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a ct chest cost in California?

The cost of a ct chest in California depends on how you pay. With commercial insurance it typically runs $179–$629, facility and physician fees combined. Medicare pays one national rate to every provider, and you generally owe about 20% of it (around $21) after the Part B deductible. Without insurance, posted hospital cash prices run $109–$1,732. 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.

Three low-priced facilities in California, from hospital price files

  • Palomar Medical Center Escondido · Escondido, CA $109
  • Cottage Health · Santa Barbara, CA $109
  • RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL · Riverside, CA $109

All 298 facilities are listed below, free.

Where ct chest 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) Imaging Center Click a pin for details.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

The same CT scan costs 3–6× more at a hospital than at an imaging center. Location is the biggest variable - and you can choose.

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  • ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
  • ✓ When contrast adds a charge - and when it's negotiable
  • ✓ The questions to ask before scheduling that can save $500–$1,500
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Cheapest CT Chest Providers in California

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($237)
1 Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA $109 $128 below
2 Cottage Health Santa Barbara, CA $109 $128 below
3 RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Riverside, CA $109 $128 below
4 Hoag Orthopedic Institute LLC Irvine, CA $110 $127 below
5 Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Newport Beach, CA $110 $127 below
6 UCI Health - Fountain Valley Orange, CA $111 $126 below
7 UCI Health - Placentia Linda Orange, CA $111 $126 below
8 UCI Health - Los Alamitos Orange, CA $111 $126 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

  • Palomar Medical Center Escondido is the lowest-cost option at $109 - $128 below the median posted price ($237), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $232, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Independent imaging centers often charge much less than hospital outpatient departments for the same scan and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
CT Chest prices by coverage in California, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$89 to $179$107
With insurance (commercial, average)238$111 to $1,243$240
Without insurance (cash price)312$109 to $1,732$232
Anthem Blue Cross183$87 to $921$211
Aetna146$50 to $1,439$131
Cigna144$69 to $1,432$378
UnitedHealthcare87$73 to $396$128

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 an CT Chest cost with Medicare in California?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for CT Chest is about $89 to $179 (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 an CT Chest cost with insurance in California?

Across 238 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for CT Chest average $111 to $1,243 per hospital, with a median near $240. 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 an CT Chest cost without insurance in California?

Cash (self-pay) prices for CT Chest at 312 California hospitals range from $109 to $1,732, with a median of $232. 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 an CT Chest cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?

Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for CT Chest at 183 California hospitals range from $87 to $921, with a median near $211. 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 an CT Chest cost with Aetna in California?

Aetna negotiated rates for CT Chest at 146 California hospitals range from $50 to $1,439, with a median near $131. 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 an CT Chest cost with Cigna in California?

Cigna negotiated rates for CT Chest at 144 California hospitals range from $69 to $1,432, with a median near $378. 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 an CT Chest cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for CT Chest at 87 California hospitals range from $73 to $396, with a median near $128. 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 ct chest

The same ct chest 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
$55–$8,082
  • Facility fee $55–$8,082

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$55–$10,461
  • Facility fee $55–$10,461

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Independent Imaging Center
$256–$585
  • technical_component $169–$353
  • professional_interpretation $87–$232

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. CT chest pricing is almost entirely driven by site of service - the identical scan costs 3–6× more at a hospital outpatient department than at an independent imaging center. Most commercial payers reimburse at the same negotiated rate regardless of setting, so choosing an independent imaging center captures the full savings without sacrificing clinical quality. For non-urgent scans, calling ahead to compare cash prices across freestanding centers is the single most effective cost lever.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →

Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (41) report prices above $1,304, including Childrens Hospital at Mission - Cerner at $5,206, 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 $228 versus $504 inpatient (about 2.2× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick. Whether the scan happens in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a separate facility fee) or a freestanding imaging center is usually the single biggest driver of price for this procedure.

None of the prices above are what you'll necessarily owe: your deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, and each provider's network status all still apply.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$327
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$65
Out-of-network provider $719+

Frequently asked questions: CT Chest costs in California

How much does a CT Chest cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $103, with most facilities between $27 and $118 (based on 282 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). That is the hospital's negotiated rate alone; with physician fees, a commercially insured patient's full episode is typically $179–$629. Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $109–$1,732; 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 CT Chest in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is Palomar Medical Center Escondido in Escondido at about $109. By metro, Orange has the lowest median ($111). 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 CT Chest so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 4.4× (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 $232 versus a median negotiated rate of $240 - 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 CT Chest 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

CT Chest, elsewhere

What matters before you schedule

Imaging center vs. hospital

Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2-4x more than independent imaging centers for the same ct chest - same outcome, very different bill. The ER charges the most of any setting and should only be used when the situation is medically urgent. Call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote at each setting you're considering.

With vs. without contrast

Which type your doctor orders for this ct chest changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A standard ct chest with no contrast dye - the most common and lowest-cost version.

This is shoppable

CT Chest is elective and schedulable, so you have time to compare facilities before booking - hospital outpatient prices often run 2-4x higher than alternative settings for the identical clinical outcome.

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 ct chest before you schedule.

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

Other Procedure Costs in California

Imaging and scans

Heart and cardiac tests

Sleep and breathing tests

Scopes and screening

Bone, joint and pain

General surgery

Lab tests

Ear, nose and throat

Urology and women's health

Eye care

Infusions

Emergency care

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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 July 17, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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