CT scan of the neck (cervical spine) with contrast Cost

CT scan of the neck (cervical spine) with contrast is a diagnostic imaging scan. Prices are from 2178 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$1,606median cash price · 2178 hospitals, 52 statestypically $494–$4,698 depending on the hospital

≈ 9.5× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$2,935

Cash / self-pay

$1,606

Insurer-negotiated

$606

Medicare pays

$168

$494$4,698

Median cash $1,606 · Medicare $168 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,606 — about 9.5× the Medicare rate ($168). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($337).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,935 list price could save about $1,329 (45%).

Estimate what you’ll pay

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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

See negotiated rates for your insurer:

Hospital	Location	Cash	Insurer	CMS rating	ER wait	Readmit
Wayne County Hospital	Monticello, KY	$243	—	—	—	—
Good Samaritan Hospital	Vincennes, IN	$244	$249	★ 2/5	117 min	14.2%
Medstar Good Samaritan Hospital	Baltimore, MD	$244	$249	★ 3/5	234 min	14.9%
Seton Medical Center Harker Heights	Harker Heights, TX	$246	$959	★ 4/5	174 min	16.3%
Doctor's Center De San Juan	Santurce, PR	$250	$285	—	—	15.5%
Doctors' Center Bayamon	Bayamon, PR	$250	$285	—	—	16.6%
Doctors' Center Hospital, Inc	Manati, PR	$250	$285	★ 1/5	—	16.3%
Doctors Center Hospital Carolina Llc	Carolina, PR	$250	$285	—	315 min	15.8%
Unity Hospital	Rochester, NY	$253	$115	★ 2/5	294 min	15.3%
Unity Specialty Hospital	Rochester, NY	$253	$115	—	—	—
Greater Baltimore Medical Center	Baltimore, MD	$254	$259	★ 5/5	231 min	13.5%
Calverthealth Medical Center	Prince Frederick, MD	$262	—	★ 5/5	200 min	14.3%
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down	Iowa City, IA	$263	$319	★ 4/5	157 min	15.0%
University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics	Iowa City, IA	$263	$319	★ 2/5	210 min	13.5%
University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics	Chicago, IL	$263	$198	★ 4/5	319 min	15.9%
Medstar Harbor Hospital	Baltimore, MD	$265	$270	★ 4/5	208 min	13.7%
Little Falls Hospital	Little Falls, NY	$268	$234	★ 2/5	110 min	15.7%
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston	Galveston, TX	$273	$233	★ 3/5	191 min	16.0%
Ochsner St Mary	Morgan City, LA	$274	$348	★ 2/5	81 min	15.4%
Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent	Shreveport, LA	$274	$348	★ 2/5	—	—
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Eaton	Charlotte, MI	$276	$653	★ 1/5	152 min	15.0%
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Clinton	Saint Johns, MI	$280	$503	★ 4/5	183 min	15.0%
Atlantic General Hospital	Berlin, MD	$284	$284	★ 3/5	146 min	14.9%
Gordon Memorial Hospital District	Gordon, NE	$285	$268	—	105 min	15.4%
Cordova Community Medical Center	Cordova, AK	$286	—	—	127 min	—

CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated June 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.

What insurers pay for CT scan of the neck (cervical spine) with contrast

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $1,606; Medicare pays $168.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
Univera	16	$136 $48 – $205
Medicaid	330	$164 $44 – $572
Independent Health	29	$180 $61 – $737
Highmark	127	$200 $115 – $757
Amerigroup	167	$230 $96 – $487
MVP Health Care	77	$237 $62 – $2,088
Geisinger	69	$333 $82 – $1,314
Medicare	542	$333 $60 – $694
Molina Healthcare	536	$336 $91 – $1,383
Tricare / VA	406	$336 $61 – $1,355
AmeriHealth	218	$342 $82 – $1,179
Anthem	535	$343 $93 – $1,333
Priority Health	58	$348 $83 – $1,857
Devoted Health	165	$359 $324 – $665
SelectHealth	46	$359 $160 – $2,358
UPMC Health Plan	93	$381 $140 – $1,320
UCare	62	$385 $84 – $2,558
Harvard Pilgrim	53	$388 $132 – $2,189
Centene / Ambetter	779	$391 $104 – $1,883
Blue Cross Blue Shield	1227	$441 $125 – $2,657
UnitedHealthcare	1434	$442 $116 – $2,454
Humana	982	$452 $150 – $2,008
EmblemHealth	61	$453 $172 – $936
Kaiser Permanente	227	$469 $164 – $2,936
Oscar Health	142	$479 $137 – $1,480
Bright Health	42	$529 $422 – $4,311
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	147	$563 $148 – $2,544
Cigna	1113	$635 $207 – $3,464
HealthPartners	213	$651 $118 – $2,553
Aetna	1373	$730 $157 – $3,080
Medica	204	$901 $132 – $2,814
Health Net	316	$1,182 $198 – $6,983
Security Health Plan	54	$1,259 $125 – $2,292
Sanford Health Plan	66	$1,300 $163 – $2,593
Healthcare Highways	41	$1,430 $639 – $3,296
AvMed	61	$1,975 $738 – $4,618
Coventry	144	$2,161 $336 – $5,508
MultiPlan / PHCS network	847	$2,487 $329 – $7,052

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

State	Median cash
Puerto Rico	$250
Maryland	$254
New Jersey	$602
Rhode Island	$616
Arkansas	$719
Arizona	$739

Prices by city

Prices by state

About these prices

Based on prices published by 2178 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $1,606, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $2,935, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $606, a Medicare rate of about $168. Most cash prices fall between $494 and $4,698 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does CT scan of the neck (cervical spine) with contrast cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 2178 US hospitals is $1,606. Most hospitals fall between $494 and $4,698. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

What does Medicare pay for CT scan of the neck (cervical spine) with contrast?

Medicare pays about $168. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do CT scan of the neck (cervical spine) with contrast prices vary between hospitals?

Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.

Is the cash price lower than using insurance?

Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

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