X-Ray Cost in Milwaukee, WI (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a x-ray cost in Milwaukee, WI?
The same x-ray in Milwaukee, WI might cost you $154 at one facility and $188 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 24 reporting hospitals is $165. These figures come straight from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.
Three low-priced facilities in Milwaukee, WI, from hospital price files
- Select Specialty Hospital - Milwaukee (St Francis Campus) $151
- Froedtert Community Hospital Pewaukee · Pewaukee, WI $154
- Aurora St Lukes South Shore of Aurora Health Care Metro Inc · Cudahy, WI $165
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 24 facilities (PDF) plus a checklist of what to ask before you book. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Where x-ray costs vary in Milwaukee, WI
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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An X-ray is cheap - until a hospital setting and a separate radiologist bill turn it into two charges.
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Cheapest X-Ray Providers in Milwaukee, WI
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, WI | $732 | -$000 |
| 2 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, WI | $733 | -$000 |
| 3 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, WI | $734 | -$000 |
| 4 | Select Specialty Hospital - Milwaukee (St Francis Campus) | WI | $151 | -$14 |
| 5 | Froedtert Community Hospital Pewaukee | Pewaukee, WI | $154 | -$11 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, WI | $737 | -$000 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, WI | $738 | -$000 |
| 8 | Aurora St Lukes South Shore of Aurora Health Care Metro Inc | Cudahy, WI | $165 | +$0 |
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Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
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Sends a PDF with all 24 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?
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Quick take
- Milwaukee Hospital, LLC is the lowest-cost option at $100 - $65 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 $165, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
- This dataset covers hospitals only - freestanding ASCs, which routinely run 30-60% cheaper for the same procedure, aren't included, so it's worth asking your doctor whether one is an option.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $89 to $107 | $89 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 19 | $137 to $304 | $267 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 24 | $52 to $215 | $165 |
| Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | 16 | $33 to $275 | $208 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 19 | $104 to $422 | $311 |
| Cigna | 17 | $210 to $460 | $372 |
| Aetna | 12 | $200 to $358 | $212 |
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 Milwaukee, WI?
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 Milwaukee, WI?
Across 19 Milwaukee, WI hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for X-ray average $137 to $304 per hospital, with a median near $267. 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 Milwaukee, WI?
Cash (self-pay) prices for X-ray at 24 Milwaukee, WI hospitals range from $52 to $215, with a median of $165. 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 Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Milwaukee, WI?
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for X-ray at 16 Milwaukee, WI hospitals range from $33 to $275, with a median near $208. 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 UnitedHealthcare in Milwaukee, WI?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for X-ray at 19 Milwaukee, WI hospitals range from $104 to $422, with a median near $311. 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 Milwaukee, WI?
Cigna negotiated rates for X-ray at 17 Milwaukee, WI hospitals range from $210 to $460, with a median near $372. 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 X-ray cost with Aetna in Milwaukee, WI?
Aetna negotiated rates for X-ray at 12 Milwaukee, WI hospitals range from $200 to $358, with a median near $212. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
Advocate Aurora Health (formed in the Illinois-Wisconsin merger) and Ascension Wisconsin are the dominant systems in the Milwaukee market, while UW Health anchors the Madison market. Wisconsin's hospital market is moderately competitive in major metros but increasingly concentrated in rural areas. Prices tend to run near or slightly below the Midwest median. 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
Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $167 versus $181 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.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$165 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$33 |
| Out-of-network provider | $363+ |
Frequently asked questions: X-ray costs in Milwaukee, WI
How much does an X-ray cost in Milwaukee, WI?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $104, with most facilities between $27 and $198 (based on 21 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $30 to $227 across all 24 Milwaukee, WI 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 an X-ray in Milwaukee, WI?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Milwaukee, WI data is Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee, Inc. at about $30. By metro, Milwaukee has the lowest median ($165). 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 Milwaukee, WI hospitals?
Prices vary up to 7.6× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Milwaukee, WI, the median cash (self-pay) price is $165 versus a median negotiated rate of $267 - 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 Milwaukee, WI?
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
- Understanding your UnitedHealthcare EOB
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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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