How much does an echocardiogram cost?

Self-pay echocardiograms run $993–$5,363 depending on setting and type. Medicare allows about $623 for a complete echo (you owe 20% after the deductible), and commercial insurers negotiate $546–$3,354. A cardiology office or independent imaging center is typically cheaper than a hospital.

Why did I get two bills for an echocardiogram?

At a hospital or imaging center an echo is billed in two parts: a technical charge from the facility (equipment + sonographer) and a separate professional charge from the cardiologist who interprets it. In a cardiology office the two are often combined into a single global fee.

Does an echocardiogram need prior authorization?

Many commercial plans require prior authorization for a non-emergency echocardiogram. Without it, the claim may be denied or paid at a reduced rate. Your ordering cardiologist typically submits the request — confirm it's approved before your appointment to avoid a surprise bill.

Where is an echocardiogram cheapest?

A cardiology office (often a single global fee) or an independent imaging center is typically lower-cost than a hospital outpatient department for the identical study. For a study applied to your deductible, the in-network setting you choose directly changes what you owe.

What is a stress echocardiogram and does it cost more?

A stress echocardiogram (CPT 93350) is an echo performed before and after the heart is stressed (by exercise or medication). It involves more time and monitoring than a resting echo, so it generally costs more than a standard complete echo (93306).

Does Medicare cover an echocardiogram?

Yes. Medicare Part B covers a medically necessary echocardiogram at 80% of the allowed amount (about $623 for a complete study) after your deductible; you pay the remaining 20% unless you have supplemental coverage.

Why do echocardiogram prices vary by state?

Medicare adjusts the technical fee by a local wage index and commercial rates track that geography. States with more independent imaging and competing cardiology practices have lower self-pay prices than hospital-dominated markets.

Echocardiogram Cost by State and Facility Type (2026)

Creator: John Caruso, FSA, MAAA
Published: 2026-06-08T10:00:00-04:00
Keywords: echocardiogram cost, echo, transthoracic, stress echo, prior authorization, technical professional split

Typical cost

$993–$5,363

Sticker price is almost never what patients actually pay.

Your actual cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, and where you are in your plan.

👉 The same Echocardiogram could cost you $0 or $5,363.

Find out what YOU will pay ↓

Takes 10 seconds. Uses your insurance and deductible.

Where You Get an Echocardiogram Matters

Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2–4× more than ASCs or independent centers for the same procedure — same outcome, very different bill.

Hospital Outpatient Department

Hospital Outpatient Department typically carries a higher price for an echocardiogram. Facility fee billed separately from professional fee. Provider-based billing adds facility overhead. You can shop here — call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote.

Independent Imaging Center

Independent Imaging Center typically carries the lowest typical price for an echocardiogram. Freestanding radiology centers. Technical component billed by center; professional (radiologist read) billed separately. You can shop here — call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote.

Physician Office

Physician Office typically carries the lowest typical price for an echocardiogram. Professional fee only. No separate facility fee unless provider-based designation.

Emergency Room Echocardiogram

An Echocardiogram performed in the emergency department can run 2–5× the cost of the identical scan at an outpatient or independent facility, because a hospital facility fee stacks on top. Use the ER only when the situation is medically urgent — it is not a setting where you can shop on price.

A missing prior authorization can turn a covered echocardiogram into a denied claim — and the same study is one bill or two.

Your personalized cost report includes:

✓ Why prior authorization is the most preventable echo billing surprise — and how to confirm it
✓ Why a facility splits into a technical bill and a separate cardiologist bill (an office bills one global fee)
✓ How the interpreting cardiologist can be out-of-network even at an in-network facility
✓ Why a hospital outpatient department costs far more than a cardiology office or imaging center
✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients — takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll email it to you immediately. No account required, no spam.

Echocardiogram Cost by Type

Which type your doctor orders changes the billing code — and what you pay. Here's how the common types differ.

Complete Echo with Doppler (TTE)

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. CPT 93306 — the standard complete study.

Echo without Doppler

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. CPT 93307.

Limited / Follow-up Echo

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. CPT 93308.

Stress Echocardiogram

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. CPT 93350 — echo performed with cardiac stress.

CostKits Data — Echocardiogram

$230–$550

National typical range

Median across all 50 states

16×

National price spread

Cheapest vs. most expensive market

4,124

Facilities in our database

92% have observed negotiated rates

High

Shopping potential

Facility type is the biggest cost lever

States with cost data

Updated 2026

Facility Choice Is the Biggest Cost Driver

Setting	Typical Allowed Amount
Hospital outpatient dept.	$450–$650
Independent Imaging Center	$250–$350

Same procedure, same clinical outcome — 40–55% lower allowed amount. Ask your physician if the procedure can be performed at an imaging center.

CostKits Market Intelligence — Echocardiogram

Confidence: High

Sources Used

CMS Medicare fee schedules (MPFS, OPPS, ASC)
Hospital price transparency files
Commercial rate relativity model

Estimate Composition

Observed negotiated rates		90%
Medicare baseline		5%
Estimated relativity		5%

285 geographic markets analyzed

4,124 facilities in dataset

50 states + 235 metros

What's Actually on an Echocardiogram Bill?

A single echocardiogram can generate multiple separate bills. Each provider bills independently and they often arrive weeks apart. Here's what to expect at a Hospital Outpatient:

Billing Component	Always?	Typical Amount	Separate Bill?	Notes
Technical / Facility Fee	Always	—	Often
Cardiologist Interpretation Fee	Always	—	Usually

Echocardiogram Cost-Saving Decision Guide

Three moves that reduce your actual out-of-pocket cost — not just awareness, but specific decisions you can make before scheduling:

Choose the right facility

If: Procedure is non-urgent + a hospital outpatient department is where you're scheduled

Typical savings: $100–$250 — Moving from a hospital outpatient department to independent imaging center is typically the single biggest lever — identical care, lower overhead

Forecast your out-of-pocket cost

Quick navigation: · Healthcare Cost Guides · How deductibles affect your cost · Echocardiogram costs by state →

Quick Answer: Echocardiogram Costs at a Glance

Average echocardiogram cost in the U.S.: $993–$5,363 (self-pay)

Common types: complete transthoracic echo with Doppler (CPT 93306), echo without Doppler (93307), limited/follow-up (93308), and stress echocardiogram (93350).

👉 Compare echocardiogram prices by state: View all echocardiogram costs by state

One Bill or Two? The Technical + Professional Split

At a hospital or imaging center, an echocardiogram is usually billed in two parts:

The technical charge — the facility, the equipment, and the sonographer who performs the study.
The professional charge — the cardiologist who interprets the images and writes the report.

These can arrive separately, which is why the first statement rarely shows the full cost. In a cardiology office, the two are often combined into a single global fee — one bill instead of two.

What to do: ask whether the study will be billed globally or split, and confirm the interpreting cardiologist is in-network — they're a separate biller and can be out-of-network even when the facility isn't.

Prior Authorization: The Step That Trips People Up

Many commercial plans require prior authorization for a non-emergency echocardiogram. Without it, the claim can be denied or paid at a reduced rate — turning a covered test into a surprise bill. Your ordering cardiologist typically submits the request; allow a few business days and confirm it's approved before your appointment. This is the single most preventable echo billing problem.

Where You Have It Done Changes the Price

The study is the same across settings; the cost and the number of bills usually aren't:

A cardiology office often bills a single global fee and can be the most cost-effective.
An independent imaging center is typically lower-cost than a hospital.
A hospital outpatient department carries higher facility overhead and usually costs the most.

For a study applied to your deductible, choosing the lower-cost in-network setting directly reduces what you owe.

Medicare (Lowest)

Medicare allows roughly $623 for a complete echo (technical + professional), covered at 80% after your Part B deductible.

Commercial Insurance (Middle)

Negotiated commercial rates run $546–$3,354. Your out-of-pocket share depends on your deductible and coinsurance — and on whether prior authorization was obtained.

Uninsured / Cash Pay (Highest)

Self-pay prices run $993–$5,363, with cardiology offices and independent imaging often at the lower end. Ask for the cash/self-pay rate directly.

This Procedure Is Shoppable — Choosing the Right Facility Can Save Thousands

Echocardiogram is elective and schedulable. You have time to compare facilities — and hospital outpatient prices often run 2–4× higher than Hospital OP, Imaging Center, Office for identical clinical outcomes.

How to shop: Ask your doctor for the CPT code, then call 2–3 facilities and request an out-of-pocket cost estimate. Confirm your insurance is accepted. If uninsured, ask for the cash-pay rate — it's usually 20–50% below the list price.

Prior Authorization Is Usually Required

Most commercial and Medicare Advantage plans require pre-approval for echocardiogram before scheduling. If your doctor submits the order without prior authorization — or if the authorization lapses — your insurer can deny the entire claim, leaving you responsible for the full cost.

Action step: Call the member services number on your insurance card before scheduling. Ask: "Does this procedure require prior authorization?" Get the authorization number in writing and confirm it's attached to the claim before your appointment.

Who performs this: Echocardiogram is typically performed by a Cardiology. The specialist's professional fee is billed separately from the facility charge — you will likely receive separate bills from each.

Explore Echocardiogram Costs

Echocardiogram by Type & Body Area

Ultrasound

Echocardiogram Cost by Metro

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL Dallas, TX Houston, TX Washington, DC Miami, FL Philadelphia, PA Atlanta, GA Phoenix, AZ Boston, MA San Francisco, CA Riverside, CA Detroit, MI Seattle, WA Minneapolis, MN San Diego, CA Tampa, FL Denver, CO St Louis, MO

Echocardiogram by State — Lowest Cost

Utah Delaware Tennessee Vermont Maryland Connecticut New Hampshire Rhode Island Missouri New Jersey Maine Ohio

Echocardiogram by State — Most Searched

California Texas Florida New York Illinois Pennsylvania Ohio Georgia North Carolina Michigan

CostKits Tools

Cost Estimator Cost Forecasting Bill Checker

Learn More

Healthcare Cost Guide EOB Explained How Healthcare Costs Are Mapped

How Insurance Affects the Cost of This Procedure

Understanding these insurance concepts can help you estimate what you may actually pay for this procedure.

Cheapest States for Echocardiogram

The 10 lowest-cost states for echocardiogram, by typical facility price range. Use these as a benchmark — even within a low-cost state, an independent imaging center usually beats a hospital outpatient department.

1. Utah $103–$106
2. Delaware $130–$136
3. Tennessee $130–$205
4. Vermont $138–$233
5. Maryland $131–$247
6. Connecticut $187–$288
7. New Hampshire $219–$263
8. Rhode Island $228–$265
9. Missouri $128–$386
10. New Jersey $189–$355

Most Expensive States for Echocardiogram

The 10 highest-cost states for echocardiogram. If you're in one of these, shopping facilities and asking for the cash-pay rate matters most.

1. Alaska $742–$1,622
2. Nebraska $649–$1,326
3. Wyoming $481–$1,491
4. South Dakota $619–$1,182
5. Nevada $440–$1,339
6. South Carolina $298–$1,225
7. Louisiana $292–$1,065
8. New Mexico $276–$941
9. Kansas $225–$982
10. Hawaii $437–$747