CT scan of the chest with and without contrast cost in California

Prices at 175 hospitals in California, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $3,269 — 88% above the US median ($1,736), roughly 16.7× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Community Memorial Hospital-Ojai Ojai, CA $496 $843 — 114 min —
Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, CA $742 $226 ★ 4/5 194 min —
Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla La Jolla, CA $742 $226 ★ 5/5 186 min —
Scripps Green Hospital La Jolla, CA $742 $226 ★ 5/5 — —
Scripps Memorial Hospital-Encinitas Encinitas, CA $742 $226 ★ 4/5 200 min —
Ventura County Medical Center Ventura, CA $743 $310 ★ 2/5 178 min —
Community Memorial Hospital-Ventura Ventura, CA $743 $310 ★ 4/5 190 min —
Kern Medical Center Bakersfield, CA $980 $238 ★ 1/5 306 min —
Kaweah Health Medical Center Visalia, CA $1,114 $1,083 ★ 3/5 254 min —
San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Banning, CA $1,143 $236 ★ 3/5 194 min —
Healdsburg Hospital Healdsburg, CA $1,195 $988 — 94 min —
Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District Brawley, CA $1,237 $225 ★ 3/5 191 min —
Colorado River Medical Center Needles, CA $1,252 — — 121 min —
Mercy Medical Center Merced, CA $1,258 $394 ★ 3/5 224 min —
L a Downtown Medical Center Los Angeles, CA $1,260 — ★ 3/5 — —
Antelope Valley Hospital Lancaster, CA $1,260 $258 ★ 1/5 264 min —
Mercy General Hospital Sacramento, CA $1,548 $638 ★ 3/5 170 min —
Mercy Hospital Bakersfield, CA $1,548 $638 ★ 3/5 193 min —
Mercy San Juan Medical Center Carmichael, CA $1,548 $638 ★ 3/5 197 min —
Jerold Phelps Community Hospital Garberville, CA $1,641 — — 149 min —
St Joseph's Medical Center of Stockton Stockton, CA $1,687 $394 ★ 3/5 225 min —
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Bakersfield, CA $1,689 $394 ★ 3/5 240 min —
St Rose Hospital Hayward, CA $1,746 $369 ★ 1/5 160 min —
St Mary Medical Center Long Beach, CA $1,815 $322 ★ 5/5 150 min —
Bear Valley Community Hospital Big Bear Lake, CA $1,820 $1,628 — 139 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 October 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.

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$5,611
Cash / self-pay
$3,269
Insurer-negotiated
$319
Medicare pays
$196
$619$5,892
Median cash $3,269  ·  Medicare $196  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $3,269 — about 16.7× the Medicare rate ($196). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($391).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $5,611 list price could save about $2,341 (42%).

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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.

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CT scan of the chest with and without contrast cost in other states

All CT scan of the chest with and without contrast prices (national) → · All hospitals in California →