CMS Price Transparency Data

X-ray, chest (two views)

Facility: The University of Chicago Medical Center

Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$126

about 1.4× the $89 Medicare rate · typically $89–$184

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$135

About the fair price

about $9 over the fair price · 1.5× Medicare

Medicare pays $89 Fair price $126 This hospital $135 Cash price $681 Hospital's list price $681

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other IL hospitals

Highest price of the 9 IL hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $21 Priciest $135

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 IL hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

⚠ The cash price looks unusually high next to the insurance price — it may be the full list price, not a real cash discount. Call to confirm the self-pay rate.

A fair price for a X-ray, chest (two views) is about $126 (about 1.4× the $89 Medicare rate). The University of Chicago Medical Center charges insurers about $135, or about $681 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Chicago, IL.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

4 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna HumanaKaiser Permanente

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$243	273%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$103	116%
Aetnamajor	$93 - $221	105%
Cignamajor	$242	272%
Ambetter (Centene)	$135	152%
Oscar Health	$107	120%

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price (about 681), before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the CPT code on your bill matches exactly: 71046.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm The University of Chicago Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 71046.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at The University of Chicago Medical Center

Compare: X-ray, chest (two views) at other IL hospitals

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.