Kidney stone shock-wave (lithotripsy) Cost

Kidney stone shock-wave (lithotripsy) is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1521 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$6,296median cash price · 1521 hospitals, 52 statestypically $1,839–$17,227 depending on the hospital
≈ 8.3× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$12,599
Cash / self-pay
$6,296
Insurer-negotiated
$4,191
Medicare pays
$760
$1,839$17,227
Median cash $6,296  ·  Medicare $760  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $6,296 — about 8.3× the Medicare rate ($760). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($1,520).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $12,599 list price could save about $6,303 (50%).

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

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Grant Memorial Hospital Petersburg, WV $948 ★ 3/5 105 min 15.4%
North Arkansas Regional Medical Center Harrison, AR $952 ★ 2/5 146 min 15.1%
Bassett Healthcare Cooperstown, NY $963 $1,019 ★ 2/5 199 min 15.6%
Merrick Medical Center Central City, NE $965 $1,529 125 min 14.6%
Crete Area Medical Center Crete, NE $965 $1,529 100 min 14.8%
Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Martinez, CA $988 ★ 4/5 175 min 14.2%
Unity Health-Jacksonville Jacksonville, AR $994 130 min 15.2%
Unity Health-Newport Newport, AR $994 104 min 15.4%
Doctor's Center De San Juan Santurce, PR $1,000 $4,718 15.5%
University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics Chicago, IL $1,007 $812 ★ 4/5 319 min 15.9%
John H Stroger Jr Hospital Chicago, IL $1,011 $794 ★ 2/5 280 min 15.0%
Provident Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL $1,011 $794 222 min 15.5%
Henry County Hospital, Inc Napoleon, OH $1,015 $1,353 ★ 2/5 105 min 15.1%
Mark Twain Medical Center San Andreas, CA $1,034 $1,123 ★ 3/5 128 min 15.2%
Island Hospital Anacortes, WA $1,074 $4,241 ★ 4/5 193 min 14.8%
University Medical Center Las Vegas, NV $1,096 $842 ★ 2/5 240 min 15.6%
Legacy Emanuel Medical Center Portland, OR $1,130 ★ 3/5 166 min 14.7%
Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center Portland, OR $1,130 ★ 4/5 186 min 14.1%
Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center Gresham, OR $1,130 ★ 3/5 154 min 14.4%
Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center Tualatin, OR $1,130 ★ 2/5 175 min 14.7%
Olympic Medical Center Port Angeles, WA $1,136 $1,420 ★ 3/5 254 min 14.4%
Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA $1,146 $9,511 94 min 15.1%
Montgomery General Hospital Montgomery, WV $1,159 $4,862 110 min 14.7%
CHI St Alexius Health Williston Williston, ND $1,179 $1,666 ★ 3/5 157 min 15.6%
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Niagara Falls, NY $1,247 $5,549 ★ 1/5 236 min 15.3%

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 Kidney stone shock-wave (lithotripsy)

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: $6,296; Medicare pays $760.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
Medicaid 173
$261
$125 – $3,358
Geisinger 38
$399
$362 – $4,224
Univera 8
$425
$42 – $675
AmeriHealth 132
$934
$262 – $7,501
Amerigroup 107
$1,200
$1,143 – $3,718
Sanford Health Plan 27
$1,219
$528 – $6,107
Medicare 295
$1,449
$239 – $4,978
UCare 36
$1,458
$406 – $3,654
Medica 63
$1,912
$520 – $12,805
HealthPartners 108
$2,281
$390 – $7,680
Priority Health 32
$2,308
$468 – $9,998
Molina Healthcare 377
$2,702
$509 – $4,603
Centene / Ambetter 552
$2,905
$1,200 – $3,943
Highmark 85
$3,158
$273 – $12,679
Harvard Pilgrim 24
$3,193
$1,389 – $9,860
Security Health Plan 24
$3,283
$528 – $9,943
Tricare / VA 207
$3,322
$280 – $9,846
Independent Health 14
$3,447
$1,425 – $9,300
Humana 652
$3,461
$536 – $11,033
Devoted Health 90
$3,466
$760 – $4,041
Coventry 64
$3,595
$696 – $13,409
UPMC Health Plan 45
$3,707
$413 – $9,507
MVP Health Care 48
$3,994
$552 – $9,998
Health Net 165
$4,300
$431 – $12,177
Kaiser Permanente 158
$4,379
$413 – $14,173
Anthem 374
$4,778
$455 – $12,679
SelectHealth 36
$4,882
$1,449 – $10,022
Blue Cross Blue Shield 849
$5,081
$424 – $14,849
Bright Health 40
$5,142
$3,520 – $7,130
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 52
$5,364
$701 – $12,451
UnitedHealthcare 961
$5,647
$760 – $15,482
Oscar Health 144
$5,866
$1,054 – $10,065
MultiPlan / PHCS network 311
$6,422
$1,250 – $26,689
Aetna 945
$6,465
$874 – $17,197
Cigna 714
$6,877
$1,636 – $16,630
EmblemHealth 43
$7,739
$1,775 – $27,809
Healthcare Highways 30
$8,858
$8,517 – $10,342
AvMed 33
$14,133
$4,252 – $17,074

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

StateMedian cash
Oregon$1,130
North Dakota$1,718
Iowa$1,839
Maine$1,847
Puerto Rico$1,900
Montana$2,122

Prices by city

Prices by state

About these prices

Based on prices published by 1521 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $6,296, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $12,599, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $4,191, a Medicare rate of about $760. Most cash prices fall between $1,839 and $17,227 — 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 Kidney stone shock-wave (lithotripsy) cost without insurance?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 1521 US hospitals is $6,296. Most hospitals fall between $1,839 and $17,227. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
What does Medicare pay for Kidney stone shock-wave (lithotripsy)?
Medicare pays about $760. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.
Why do Kidney stone shock-wave (lithotripsy) 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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