CostKits Healthcare, Organized
Login
Home Tools Procedure Costs Learn
Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

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

What does a xray cost in Illinois?

An xray in Illinois is priced differently for each type of coverage. With commercial insurance it typically runs $75–$215, 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 $30–$324. 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 Illinois, from hospital price files

  • Graham Hospital · Canton, IL $30
  • Presence Chicago Hospitals Network $30
  • The University of Chicago Medical Center · Chicago, IL $30

All 167 facilities are listed below, free.

Where xray costs vary in Illinois

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.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Imaging Center Click a pin for details.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

An X-ray is cheap - until a hospital setting and a separate radiologist bill turn it into two charges.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ Why the same X-ray costs more at a hospital or ER than at an imaging center
  • ✓ The separate radiologist bill that can be out-of-network even at an in-network facility
  • ✓ How an X-ray inside an ER or urgent-care visit rolls into a bigger bill
  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, including prior authorization
  • ✓ 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 Xray Providers in Illinois

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($93)
1 Graham Hospital Canton, IL $30 $63 below
2 Presence Chicago Hospitals Network IL $30 $63 below
3 The University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago, IL $30 $63 below
4 OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center Rockford, IL $30 $63 below
5 Ingalls Memorial Hospital Harvey, IL $30 $63 below
6 Silver Cross Hospital IL $30 $63 below
7 OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Peoria, IL $30 $63 below
8 The Carle Foundation Hospital Urbana, IL $30 $63 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

  • Graham Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $30 - $63 below the median posted price ($93), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $93, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Ask whether this procedure can be done at a freestanding ambulatory surgical center - they're typically 30-60% cheaper than a hospital for identical care, and most aren't in this hospital-only dataset.
X-ray prices by coverage in Illinois, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$89 to $107$89
With insurance (commercial, average)101$70 to $362$141
Without insurance (cash price)169$30 to $324$93
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois92$43 to $280$112
Aetna85$46 to $326$128
UnitedHealthcare71$49 to $552$174
Cigna71$27 to $424$118

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 X-ray cost with Medicare in Illinois?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for X-ray is about $89 to $107 (typically near $89). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $18 on a $89 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 X-ray cost with insurance in Illinois?

Across 101 Illinois hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for X-ray average $70 to $362 per hospital, with a median near $141. 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 X-ray cost without insurance in Illinois?

Cash (self-pay) prices for X-ray at 169 Illinois hospitals range from $30 to $324, with a median of $93. 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 X-ray cost with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois negotiated rates for X-ray at 92 Illinois hospitals range from $43 to $280, with a median near $112. 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 X-ray cost with Aetna in Illinois?

Aetna negotiated rates for X-ray at 85 Illinois hospitals range from $46 to $326, with a median near $128. 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 X-ray cost with UnitedHealthcare in Illinois?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for X-ray at 71 Illinois hospitals range from $49 to $552, with a median near $174. 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 much does an X-ray cost with Cigna in Illinois?

Cigna negotiated rates for X-ray at 71 Illinois hospitals range from $27 to $424, with a median near $118. 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 where you go changes what you pay for xray

The same xray 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–$987
  • Facility fee $16–$743
  • Professional fee $39–$244

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$62–$987
  • Facility fee $23–$743
  • Professional fee $39–$244

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Independent Imaging Center
$40–$123
  • technical_component $28–$83
  • professional_interpretation $12–$40

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Illinois presents two distinct markets: Chicago (highly competitive, high commercial rates, major academic medical centers) and downstate (lower density, smaller regional systems, lower rates). Northwestern Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health, and Rush University Medical Center compete aggressively in the Chicago market. Downstate Illinois prices typically run 20–35% below Chicago-area rates for identical services. 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.

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 (5) report prices above $428, including Taylorville Memorial Hospital at $743, 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 $93 versus $197 inpatient (about 2.1× 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.

What you pay out of pocket on top of this depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved is in-network - not just the facility.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$111
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$22
Out-of-network provider $244+

Frequently asked questions: X-ray costs in Illinois

How much does an X-ray cost in Illinois?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $36, with most facilities between $17 and $74 (based on 154 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). That is the hospital's negotiated rate alone; with physician fees, a commercially insured patient's full episode is typically $75–$215. Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Illinois hospitals run $30–$324; 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 Illinois?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Illinois data is Graham Hospital in Canton at about $30. By metro, Rockford has the lowest median ($46). 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 Illinois 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 Illinois, the median cash (self-pay) price is $93 versus a median negotiated rate of $141 - 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 Illinois?

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 Illinois

Xray, elsewhere

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

Other Procedure Costs in Illinois

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

Interested in understanding healthcare costs and managing your medical expenses?

About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

Connect on LinkedIn →

Ready to take control of your healthcare costs?

Use the free cost estimator →  ·  Get your bill screened for free →  ·  See the family plan →

Published July 17, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

Track Your Healthcare Costs

Create a free account to save procedures, compare prices, and analyze future medical bills.