A CT scan typically costs between $250 and $2,000 in the United States, depending on the body part being scanned, whether contrast dye is used, and where you get the scan done. Without insurance, most people pay somewhere in that range out of pocket. With insurance, your share drops significantly, often to a copay or a percentage of the total bill after your deductible is met.
Costs by Body Part
The price of a CT scan varies quite a bit depending on what’s being scanned and whether contrast dye is involved. Contrast is a special liquid (usually injected into a vein) that helps certain tissues and blood vessels show up more clearly on the images. Scans with contrast cost more because of the added material and monitoring time.
Here’s what national averages look like for the most common CT scans without insurance:
- Head or brain: $250 to $700 without contrast, $450 to $1,100 with contrast
- Chest: $300 to $1,000 without contrast, $500 to $1,300 with contrast
- Spine (neck or lower back): $300 to $1,000 without contrast
- Abdomen: $400 to $1,200 without contrast, $600 to $1,400 with contrast
- Abdomen and pelvis: $600 to $1,500 without contrast, $800 to $2,000 with contrast
Abdomen and pelvis scans tend to be the most expensive because they cover a larger area and often require contrast to get useful images. A simple head CT without contrast is usually the least expensive option.
Why You Might Get Two Bills
One thing that catches people off guard is receiving two separate charges for a single scan. Hospital-based imaging departments typically split the cost into a facility fee (for the equipment, the room, and the technologist who operates the scanner) and a professional fee (for the radiologist who reads your images and writes the report). Each of these can trigger its own copay if you have insurance.
Freestanding imaging centers, the ones not owned by a hospital, usually combine both charges into a single bill with one copay. This is one reason standalone centers tend to feel cheaper at checkout, even when the total price is similar.
Where You Go Makes a Big Difference
The single biggest factor in what you’ll pay, besides insurance, is the type of facility. Hospital outpatient departments consistently charge more than independent imaging centers for the same scan on the same machine. The price gap exists largely because hospitals bundle overhead costs like emergency staffing and facility maintenance into their imaging fees.
Geography matters too. Imaging prices in states like Alabama, Nevada, California, and New Mexico run significantly higher than in states like Rhode Island, Arkansas, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma. For a CT of the pelvis with contrast, Nevada ranked as the least affordable state in the country. If you live near a state border, it can be worth checking prices on both sides.
What Insurance Typically Covers
Most health insurance plans cover CT scans that are ordered by a doctor for a medical reason. What you actually owe depends on your plan’s deductible, copay, and coinsurance structure. If you haven’t met your annual deductible yet, you could be responsible for the full negotiated rate until you hit that threshold.
For people on Medicare Part B, the standard coinsurance is 20% of the approved amount. In practical terms, that can mean paying as little as $18 for a head CT at a freestanding center or $27 at a hospital outpatient department. Medicare Advantage plans vary more widely, with some offering $0 copays for imaging.
For private insurance, copays for outpatient imaging commonly range from $50 to $200 per scan, though your coinsurance percentage (often 10% to 30% of the negotiated price) kicks in if your plan uses that model instead. Call the number on your insurance card before your appointment and ask for a cost estimate specific to the facility where your scan is scheduled.
Paying Without Insurance
If you’re uninsured or choosing to pay out of pocket, you have more leverage than you might think. Many imaging centers offer cash-pay discounts of 10% to 30% when you pay the full amount upfront at the time of service. Some facilities have flat-rate pricing for self-pay patients that undercuts what they’d bill an insurance company.
You also have a legal right to a price estimate before your scan. Under the No Surprises Act, any healthcare provider or facility must give uninsured or self-pay patients a “good faith estimate” of expected charges. If you schedule your scan at least three business days in advance, the facility has to provide this estimate within one business day of scheduling. If you request an estimate without scheduling, they have three business days to get it to you. This estimate must include not just the scan itself but any related services you’d reasonably need, like the radiologist’s reading fee.
Facilities are required to post information about these estimates on their website and in their office. If a final bill exceeds the good faith estimate by $400 or more, you can dispute the charge through a federal process.
How to Lower Your CT Scan Cost
Start by comparing prices across facilities in your area. If your doctor orders a CT scan, you don’t have to get it done at the hospital where they practice. Ask for the order to be sent to an independent imaging center, which will almost always cost less. Many price-comparison tools let you search by zip code and scan type.
Ask about cash-pay rates even if you have insurance. In some cases, a facility’s self-pay discount can be lower than what you’d owe after applying your deductible. This is especially common early in the year when your deductible resets. Get the good faith estimate in writing, compare it to your insurance’s cost estimate, and go with whichever is cheaper.
If cost is a barrier, ask the facility about payment plans. Most imaging centers and hospitals will let you spread payments over several months with no interest, especially for bills under a few thousand dollars.