Mammogram Cost in Iowa (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a mammogram cost in Iowa?
Where you have a mammogram done in Iowa swings the bill from $66 to $192 for identical care. The median cash price across 105 reporting hospitals is $92. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. Pick your coverage in the tabs below to see your number.
Insurance
With commercial insurance, mammogram in Iowa typically runs $66–$192, 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. After the Part B deductible you generally pay 20% of the approved amount.
Read the full Medicare coverage guide →
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ When a "free" screening becomes a cost-shared diagnostic mammogram - and how to see it coming
- ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
- ✓ Why a hospital outpatient department can cost far more than a breast center for the identical study
- ✓ When 3D tomosynthesis adds a separate charge - and the questions to ask before you schedule
- ✓ 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:
- ✓ When a "free" screening becomes a cost-shared diagnostic mammogram - and how to see it coming
- ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
- ✓ Why a hospital outpatient department can cost far more than a breast center for the identical study
- ✓ When 3D tomosynthesis adds a separate charge - and the questions to ask before you schedule
- ✓ 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
The lowest posted price we found is ELLSWORTH MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL at $53. 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 mammogram costs vary in Iowa
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.
A screening mammogram is $0 - until a callback or a symptom re-codes it as diagnostic and the bills start.
Your personalized cost report includes:
- ✓ When a "free" screening becomes a cost-shared diagnostic mammogram - and how to see it coming
- ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
- ✓ Why a hospital outpatient department can cost far more than a breast center for the identical study
- ✓ When 3D tomosynthesis adds a separate charge - and the questions to ask before you schedule
- ✓ 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 Mammogram Providers in Iowa
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ELLSWORTH MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL | IA | $53 | -$39 |
| 2 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, IA | $946 | -$000 |
| 3 | Pella Regional Health Center | Pella, IA | $55 | -$37 |
| 4 | Compass Memorial HealthCare | Marengo, IA | $56 | -$36 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, IA | $943 | -$000 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, IA | $942 | -$000 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, IA | $941 | -$000 |
| 8 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, IA | $940 | -$000 |
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 105 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
- ELLSWORTH MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL is the lowest-cost option at $53 - $39 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 $92, 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.
How where you go changes what you pay for mammogram
The same mammogram 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 $51–$588
- Professional fee $78–$636
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $51–$210
- Professional fee $78–$636
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
Iowa's hospital market is dominated by UnityPoint Health and MercyOne (CommonSpirit), with relatively limited inter-system competition in most markets. Des Moines prices run below national averages, but facility fees at affiliated hospital systems can add substantially to the base service rates. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is the primary academic referral center. Mammogram pricing splits along two axes: screening vs. diagnostic classification and facility type. Screening mammograms are covered at 100% under the ACA's preventive care mandate for most commercial plans, but a finding during screening that triggers additional views or a diagnostic repeat converts a $0 visit to a cost-sharing event. Hospital-based breast imaging centers add facility fees that freestanding imaging centers don't charge - typically 2–3× higher for the identical study.
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 (3) report prices above $435, including Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp at $588, 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 $91 versus $57 inpatient, 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 | ~$92 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$18 |
| Out-of-network provider | $202+ |
Frequently asked questions: mammogram costs in Iowa
How much does a mammogram cost in Iowa?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $30, with most facilities between $20 and $45 (based on 107 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $30 to $2,178 across all 105 Iowa 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 mammogram in Iowa?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Iowa data is Dallas County Hospital in Perry at about $51. By metro, Council Bluffs has the lowest median ($75). 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 mammogram so much cheaper at some Iowa hospitals?
Prices vary up to 72.6× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Iowa, the median cash (self-pay) price is $92 versus a median negotiated rate of $30 - about 3.1× 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 mammogram in Iowa?
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
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read your medical bill
- Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
- Already have a bill? Check it for errors
- How to read an EOB line by line
Other procedures in Iowa
Mammogram, 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 mammogram - 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.
Cost by type
Which type your doctor orders for this mammogram 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.
Screening vs. diagnostic
Under the ACA, preventive services - including mammogram for average-risk adults - must be covered at $0 with no cost-sharing when performed in-network. The risk: A screening mammogram is covered at $0 under the ACA. If a finding requires additional views or ultrasound, it converts to a diagnostic mammogram and cost-sharing applies - the single most common mammogram billing surprise.
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 mammogram 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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