Skip to main content
States Procedures Methodology Search
National price data · 2,597 hospitals

Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) cost

What a echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) costs across the U.S. — and the fair price to aim for.

Pillar 1 · The BaseRate™ CompositeHow 1.00× Fair BaseRate Works: Raw price averages unfairly penalize hospitals in high-wage cities or trauma centers treating sicker patients. We adjust for local CMS hospital wage levels and patient complexity first. A 1.00× score means right at the fair price average, 0.85× means 15% cheaper than fair market, and 1.30× means 30% above fair market.Near Fair BaseRate Benchmark
1.00×vs. Fair Market Price
Position vs. 1.00× Fair PriceRight at U.S. Average (0%) 1.00× (center of the bar) is the U.S. fair price average after accounting for local hospital wages and patient complexity. Left of center (<1.00×) is below fair price; right of center (>1.00×) is above fair price.

Typical commercial prices here match the fair market benchmark (1.00×) after accounting for local nurse/doctor wages and patient complexity.

Pillar 2 · VeriRate™ Data TrustHow VeriRate™ (0–100) Works: Hospitals are legally required to publish machine-readable price files, but some bury fake $0.01 numbers or omit cash discounts. VeriRate audits each file across 5 checks (hover any badge below to see what it tests).86/100 · Verified
86/100Hover Any Check Below to See How Prices Were Audited
File Completeness90Provenance (File Completeness): Checks whether the hospital published a complete, up-to-date machine-readable price file with valid CPT and MS-DRG billing codes instead of leaving blanks.
Price Logic88Coherence (Price Logic): Checks whether the hospital’s numbers make basic sense — e.g., self-pay cash price is lower than gross list price, with no fake $0.01 or $999,999 placeholder numbers.
Peer Alignment86Concordance (Peer Alignment): Checks whether reported prices sit in a realistic range compared to Medicare and nearby hospitals rather than wild 100× unit errors.
Clean Billing83Regularity (Clean Billing): Checks whether rates are structured consistently across procedures without erratic statistical spikes or hidden unbundled facility fees.
Real Cash Discount84Cash Honesty (Real Cash Discount): Checks whether the hospital offers a genuine self-pay cash discount that beats or matches commercial insurance rates instead of billing full sticker price.
Pillar 3 · Clinical Quality & ER SpeedChecks whether higher hospital prices actually buy better clinical quality — combining CMS Star Ratings, hospital safety scores, and emergency room wait times.Regional Value Leader
CMS Star RatingNot RatedOfficial CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating (1 to 5 stars) summarizing mortality, safety of care, readmissions, and patient experience.
Safety ScoreNot ScoredComposite patient safety score (0–100) derived from CMS hospital-acquired infection rates (CLABSI, CAUTI, MRSA, C. diff), surgical complications, and HCAHPS surveys.
Typical ER WaitNo ER DataMedian minutes patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, as reported to CMS Timely and Effective Care.

Balances commercial hospital prices against CMS clinical safety, infection control, and patient experience.

Behavioral Pricing FingerprintLow Shoppable & Low Captive

Uniform Value Leader

Ascension Borgess Allegan Hospital maintains disciplined commercial pricing across both elective shoppable care (0.5× Medicare) and captive emergency/ancillary departments (0.7× Medicare). Patients and health plans benefit from predictable, below-benchmark rates (0.67× Fair BaseRate) without hidden ancillary cross-subsidization.

#4 of 91 in MI · 3rd State Percentile#115 of 3,385 in U.S. · 3rd National Percentile
Advantage

Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)

  • Elective shoppable care is priced 33% below peer Fair BaseRate (0.67×)
  • Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 26% of shoppable procedures (84/100 Cash Honesty)
  • CMS clinical safety score (69/100 safety score) with 72% patient recommendation
  • IRS 501(c)(3) charity care provides free care up to 200% FPL and discounted care up to 400% FPL (36.3% AGB cap)
Watchout

Where You Can Get Burned (Markup Traps)

  • Even at low-cost facilities (1.00× Fair BaseRate), out-of-network or unnegotiated chargemaster bills can exceed commercial medians — confirm in-network status or request a self-pay cash quote up front.
  • Captive ER (0.7×) & laboratory (0.7×) services average 1.40× higher multiples than routine shoppable care (0.5×)
  • Upper-quartile procedures (Q75 0.86×) jump +28% above the median procedure ratio (Q50 0.67×)
  • Unnegotiated chargemaster list prices average 6.8× Medicare (14¢ true HCRIS cost per $1 gross)
Front-Door ShoppableElective / Imaging
0.5× Medicare

Pre-scheduled outpatient procedures where patients can comparison-shop.

Back-Door Captive & ER1.40× Divergence
0.7× Medicare

Emergency, inpatient DRG, lab, and specialty drug lines billed after admission.

Quantile Tail Spread+28% Upper Tail
Q25 0.34× · Q50 0.67× · Q75 0.86×

Detects median-gaming when upper-quartile codes spike above the p50 median.

Select any lens to inspect department markups, federal cost accounting, or insurer discounts.
Department & Integrity Multiples (vs. CMS Medicare Cost Anchor) Green ≤1.3× · Teal 1.3–1.8× · Amber 1.8–2.5× · Rose >2.5×
Front-Door Shoppable CareFront-Door Shoppable
0.5× MedicareGood
Outpatient Surgery & ORBack-Door Captive
0.6× MedicareGood
Diagnostic Imaging (CT/MRI)Front-Door Shoppable
0.5× MedicareGood
Back-Door Captive ER VisitsBack-Door Captive
0.7× MedicareGood
Inpatient Lab & PathologyBack-Door Captive
0.7× MedicareGood
Specialty & Infusion Drugs (J-Codes)Back-Door Captive
1.1× MedicareGood
Self-Pay Cash Honesty & 501(r)Integrity & Outcomes
26% Cash Edge · 84/100Good
CMS Clinical Safety & Star ValueIntegrity & Outcomes
3 CMS · 69/100Fair
National Geographic Price Intelligence · 50-State + DC/PR Cartogram

National State Price Index Heatmap · Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)

State commercial price index vs. U.S. median (1.00×) and average Medicare multiple across all 53 priced states & territories

<0.93× Below Fair Price 0.93–1.05× Near Average 1.05–1.18× Elevated >1.18× High-Cost State
ME0.35×1.0× MedVT0.35×1.0× MedCT0.38×1.1× MedPR0.43×1.3× MedMD0.45×1.3× MedWY0.48×1.4× MedNV0.49×1.5× MedMT0.55×1.6× MedAK0.70×2.1× MedIA0.80×2.4× MedNY0.80×2.4× MedHI0.85×2.5× MedLA0.87×2.6× MedAL0.88×2.6× MedMS0.88×2.6× MedTN0.89×2.6× MedNC0.91×2.7× MedOH0.91×2.7× MedKY0.92×2.7× MedMI0.92×2.7× MedNH0.92×2.7× MedWV0.92×2.7× MedAR0.94×2.8× MedID0.96×2.9× MedPA0.96×2.8× MedCO0.97×2.9× MedMO0.97×2.9× MedND0.97×2.9× MedSD0.97×2.9× MedGA0.98×2.9× MedNM0.98×2.9× MedSC0.99×2.9× MedTX0.99×2.9× MedAZ1.00×3.0× MedIL1.01×3.0× MedMN1.01×3.0× MedFL1.02×3.0× MedOK1.02×3.0× MedIN1.04×3.1× MedNJ1.09×3.2× MedVA1.11×3.3× MedOR1.14×3.4× MedCA1.21×3.6× MedDC1.28×3.8× MedDE1.28×3.8× MedWI1.28×3.8× MedUT1.32×3.9× MedMA1.33×3.9× MedRI1.39×4.1× MedNE1.61×4.8× MedWA1.92×5.7× MedKS2.56×7.6× Med
5 Lowest-Price States (Confounder-Isolated Value Leaders)
ME0.35×(1.0×)VT0.35×(1.0×)CT0.38×(1.1×)PR0.43×(1.3×)MD0.45×(1.3×)
5 Highest-Markup States (Strict Bill Audit Recommended)
KS2.56×(7.6×)WA1.92×(5.7×)NE1.61×(4.8×)RI1.39×(4.1×)MA1.33×(3.9×)
The BaseRate high confidence
$587
the fair national price for a echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)
typically $204–$1,353 across 2,597 hospitals · how we calculate it
modeled estimate · not a bill or quote
2,597
hospitals priced
52
states
6.6×
price spread — where shopping matters
3×
vs. Medicare

Across 2,597 hospitals in 52 states, a echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) has a fair BaseRate of $587 and typically costs $204–$1,353. The cheapest state is VT; the priciest is KS.

Cheapest hospitals for a echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)

Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) cost by state

AK $410 6 hospitals AL $512 48 hospitals AR $546 45 hospitals AZ $583 46 hospitals CA $705 178 hospitals CO $563 54 hospitals CT $223 17 hospitals DC $747 5 hospitals DE $744 7 hospitals FL $593 149 hospitals GA $572 68 hospitals HI $495 10 hospitals IA $468 74 hospitals ID $561 17 hospitals IL $586 103 hospitals IN $607 74 hospitals KS $1,494 83 hospitals KY $534 44 hospitals LA $508 74 hospitals MA $775 42 hospitals MD $261 3 hospitals ME $201 23 hospitals MI $537 59 hospitals MN $587 68 hospitals MO $563 70 hospitals MS $515 56 hospitals MT $320 14 hospitals NC $528 49 hospitals ND $565 17 hospitals NE $940 44 hospitals NH $534 10 hospitals NJ $636 44 hospitals NM $569 12 hospitals NV $287 21 hospitals NY $469 85 hospitals OH $532 100 hospitals OK $594 70 hospitals OR $662 21 hospitals PA $557 107 hospitals PR $250 5 hospitals RI $813 6 hospitals SC $575 40 hospitals SD $563 10 hospitals TN $521 68 hospitals TX $576 233 hospitals UT $771 32 hospitals VA $649 43 hospitals VT $188 8 hospitals WA $1,117 41 hospitals WI $745 75 hospitals WV $539 16 hospitals WY $278 3 hospitals
Inline Bill X-Ray & 501(r) Calculator 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Free Care ≤200% FPL · AGB Cap 36.3%

Audit a Bill or Quote at U.S. Hospital Benchmark (Zero PHI Required)

Fair BaseRate™ $587
Medicare Rate $340
Self-Pay Cash Request Quote
Insurer Median $583
Pre-filled with U.S. Hospital Benchmark’s charged/list benchmark
Screened against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines
2026 FPL: $15,650 + $5,500 per additional person
Step 1 · 501(r) Charity Care Check 501(r) AGB Cap: $508 (274% FPL)

Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $508

At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (36.3% of gross = $508).

Step 2 · Cash vs. Insurance Arbitrage Request Prompt-Pay Quote

Compare Prompt-Pay Cash Rate Against Remaining Deductible

Ask U.S. Hospital Benchmark's billing desk for their written 45 CFR § 180 discounted self-pay cash price and Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act.

Step 3 · Fair BaseRate Target +$812 Above Fair BaseRate

Negotiate Toward $587 Fair BaseRate ($340 Medicare)

Your bill ($1,399) is $812 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($587) and 4.1× the $340 Medicare rate.

1-Click Factual Dispute Summary: Copy a citation-backed benchmark memo (with CMS CCN, CPT code, Medicare reference, Fair BaseRate, and 26 U.S.C. § 501(r) calculations) to paste into patient-portal messages or billing appeals.