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

What does a xray cost in California?

What an xray in California costs depends on your coverage. With commercial insurance it typically runs $60–$219, facility and physician fees combined. Medicare pays one national rate to every provider, and you generally owe about 20% of it (around $18) after the Part B deductible. Without insurance, posted hospital cash prices run $21–$389. 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 xray costs vary in California

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

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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. X-ray is the most commoditized of all imaging procedures, and price differences are almost entirely explained by facility type: a hospital outpatient chest X-ray can cost 5–10× more than the same study at an urgent care center or independent imaging clinic. For non-emergency X-rays, asking your physician for a referral to an outpatient imaging center rather than a hospital radiology department is the simplest and most reliable cost reduction available.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (32) report prices above $448, including Sutter Lakeside Hospital at $1,071, 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 $111 versus $102 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.

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.

Frequently asked questions: X-ray costs in California

How much does an X-ray cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $31, with most facilities between $15 and $81 (based on 321 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). That is the hospital's negotiated rate alone; with physician fees, a commercially insured patient's full episode is typically $60–$219. Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $21–$389; 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 an X-ray in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is SOUTHERN MONTEREY COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL at about $28. By metro, Los Angeles has the lowest median ($62). Freestanding ambulatory surgery and imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is an X-ray so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 5.4× (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 $111 versus a median negotiated rate of $173 - 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 an X-ray 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.

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