CT Head Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a ct head cost in California?
The cost of a ct head in California depends on how you pay. With commercial insurance it typically runs $208–$1,793, facility and physician fees combined. Medicare pays one national rate to every provider, and you generally owe about 20% of it (around $36) after the Part B deductible. Without insurance, posted hospital cash prices run $133–$3,978. Pick your coverage in the tabs below to see your number. This estimate is based on CMS fee schedules and hospital price transparency data published under federal law.
Insurance
With commercial insurance, CT Head in California typically runs $208–$1,793, facility and physician fees combined. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible and coinsurance.
Medicare
Medicare pays the same national rate to every provider that accepts it, adjusted slightly for local wages, so choosing a different hospital doesn't change what Medicare pays. For CT Head that rate is about $121–$179 (typically near $179). After the $257 Part B deductible you generally pay 20% of the approved amount, about $36.
Read the full Medicare coverage guide →
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ Why facility type drives most of the price variation - and how to use that
- ✓ 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
- ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line
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Medicaid
Medicaid is run by each state, and it pays fixed rates to the providers that accept it, so the price doesn't change from one hospital to the next. Most people on Medicaid owe nothing or a small copay for covered care, but what's covered and what you owe depends on your state and plan. CostKits doesn't show a Medicaid price here because those rates are set by the state, not negotiated by each hospital. The question that matters is whether the provider accepts your Medicaid plan, so ask before you schedule.
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ Why facility type drives most of the price variation - and how to use that
- ✓ 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
- ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line
Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.
We'll send a sign-in link to your email — click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.
No insurance
Posted cash prices for CT Head at 353 California hospitals range from $133–$3,978, with a median of $770. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for the hospital’s financial-assistance policy before you book.
Once you have a bill or an appointment on the calendar, CostKits can help you keep it all organized.
Where ct head 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.
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.
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ Why facility type drives most of the price variation - and how to use that
- ✓ 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
- ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line
Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.
We'll send a sign-in link to your email - click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.
Cheapest CT Head Providers in California
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Francis Medical Center | CA | $133 | -$637 |
| 2 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $678 | -$000 |
| 3 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $677 | -$000 |
| 4 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $676 | -$000 |
| 5 | Encino Hospital Medical Center | CA | $133 | -$637 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $674 | -$000 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $673 | -$000 |
| 8 | San Dimas Community Hospital | CA | $133 | -$637 |
Your ranked price list is on its way to your email. Open the PDF now.
Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
Email me this price comparison plus what to ask before booking
Sends a PDF with all 338 facilities ranked cheapest first, plus a short checklist of questions that change what you pay. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
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
- St Francis Medical Center is the lowest-cost option at $133 - $637 below the state median, just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $770, 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.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $121 to $179 | $179 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 236 | $170 to $1,568 | $513 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 353 | $133 to $3,978 | $770 |
| Anthem Blue Cross | 181 | $134 to $1,725 | $753 |
| Aetna | 146 | $184 to $1,800 | $845 |
| Cigna | 131 | $188 to $3,119 | $1,164 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 86 | $101 to $1,735 | $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 an CT Head cost with Medicare in California?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for CT Head is about $121 to $179 (typically near $179). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $36 on a $179 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 Head cost with insurance in California?
Across 236 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for CT Head average $170 to $1,568 per hospital, with a median near $513. 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 Head cost without insurance in California?
Cash (self-pay) prices for CT Head at 353 California hospitals range from $133 to $3,978, with a median of $770. 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 Head cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?
Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for CT Head at 181 California hospitals range from $134 to $1,725, with a median near $753. 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 Head cost with Aetna in California?
Aetna negotiated rates for CT Head at 146 California hospitals range from $184 to $1,800, with a median near $845. 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 Head cost with Cigna in California?
Cigna negotiated rates for CT Head at 131 California hospitals range from $188 to $3,119, with a median near $1,164. 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 Head cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for CT Head at 86 California hospitals range from $101 to $1,735, 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 ct head
The same ct head 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 $56–$10,883
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $66–$9,038
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- technical_component $140–$293
- professional_interpretation $88–$236
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. Head CT pricing follows the site-of-service pattern of other imaging, but emergency use dominates - most head CTs are ordered in emergency rooms, where facility fees can add $1,000–$3,000 on top of the imaging charge. Planned outpatient head CTs for follow-up or surveillance at independent imaging centers cost a fraction of the ER equivalent. If your order is non-urgent, ask your doctor for an outpatient referral to a freestanding imaging center.
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 (15) report prices above $5,403, including DOCTORS MEDICAL CENTER OF MODESTO, INC. at $10,883, 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 $684 versus $1,792 inpatient (about 2.6× 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.
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 | ~$840 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$168 |
| Out-of-network provider | $1,848+ |
Frequently asked questions: CT Head costs in California
How much does a CT Head cost in California?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $132, with most facilities between $94 and $141 (based on 322 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $101 to $19,447 across all 338 California hospitals that publish prices. 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 Head in California?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our California data is ADVENTIST HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER TEHACHAPI at about $56. By metro, Orange has the lowest median ($134). 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 Head so much cheaper at some California hospitals?
Prices vary up to 192.5× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $770 versus a median negotiated rate of $513 - about 1.5× higher. 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 Head 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
- How to read your medical bill
- How to stop medical bill problems before they start
- How to negotiate your medical bills
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read an EOB line by line
Other procedures in California
CT Head, 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 head - 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 head changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A standard ct head with no contrast dye - the most common and lowest-cost version.
This is shoppable
CT Head 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 head 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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