How much does a X-ray, chest (single view) typically cost in the United States?

Across 2,709 U.S. hospitals in 52 states, the modeled national fair BaseRate for X-ray, chest (single view) is $92, with most hospital negotiated prices falling between $27 and $196.

Why do hospital prices for X-ray, chest (single view) vary across facilities?

Commercial rates are negotiated individually between hospital systems and insurers, creating wide local dispersion even within the same metro area. Comparing facility-specific cash and in-network rates before scheduling care helps avoid overpaying.

National price data · 2,709 hospitals

X-ray, chest (single view) cost

What a x-ray, chest (single view) costs across the U.S. — and the fair price to aim for.

Near Fair BaseRate Benchmark

1.00×vs. Fair Market Price

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

86/100 · Verified

86/100Hover Any Check Below to See How Prices Were Audited

File Completeness90

Price Logic88

Peer Alignment86

Clean Billing83

Real Cash Discount84

Regional Value Leader

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

Behavioral Pricing FingerprintMedian-Gamed · High Captive Markup

Loss-Leader / Captive Ancillary Cross-Subsidizer

Lincoln Hospital prices routine shoppable procedures near 0.8× Medicare (p50 0.76×) while skewing captive emergency, lab, and upper-quartile codes to 1.4× Medicare (p75 1.37×, +80% upper-tail jump). Patients scheduling elective outpatient care can capture competitive rates, but emergency and ancillary bills require strict line-item auditing.

#11 of 58 in WA · 17th State Percentile#685 of 3,385 in U.S. · 20th National Percentile

Advantage

Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)

Elective shoppable care is priced 10% below peer Fair BaseRate (0.90×)
Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 23% of shoppable procedures (43/100 Cash Honesty)
CMS clinical safety score (70/100 safety score) with 83% patient recommendation
Binding Good Faith Estimate rights under 45 CFR § 149.610 protect self-pay patients before scheduling

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 (0.5×) & laboratory (1.1×) services average 1.75× higher multiples than routine shoppable care (0.8×)
Upper-quartile procedures (Q75 1.37×) jump +80% above the median procedure ratio (Q50 0.76×)
Unnegotiated chargemaster list prices average 7.2× Medicare (30¢ true HCRIS cost per $1 gross)

Front-Door ShoppableElective / Imaging

0.8× Medicare

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

Back-Door Captive & ER1.75× Divergence

1.4× Medicare

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

Quantile Tail Spread+80% Upper Tail

Q25 0.38× · Q50 0.76× · Q75 1.37×

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

0.8× MedicareGood

Outpatient Surgery & ORBack-Door Captive

1.0× MedicareGood

Diagnostic Imaging (CT/MRI)Front-Door Shoppable

2.2× MedicareFair

Back-Door Captive ER VisitsBack-Door Captive

0.5× MedicareGood

Inpatient Lab & PathologyBack-Door Captive

1.1× MedicareGood

Specialty & Infusion Drugs (J-Codes)Back-Door Captive

1.1× MedicareGood

Self-Pay Cash Honesty & 501(r)Integrity & Outcomes

23% Cash Edge · 43/100Watchout

CMS Clinical Safety & Star ValueIntegrity & Outcomes

3 CMS · 70/100Fair

National Geographic Price Intelligence · 50-State + DC/PR Cartogram

National State Price Index Heatmap · X-ray, chest (single view)

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

AK1.83× 6.6× Med ME0.39× 1.4× Med WA1.62× 5.9× Med ID0.63× 2.3× Med MT0.86× 3.1× Med ND0.98× 3.5× Med MN1.00× 3.6× Med WI1.05× 3.8× Med MI0.77× 2.8× Med VT0.61× 2.2× Med NH1.24× 4.5× Med OR1.07× 3.9× Med NV0.82× 3.0× Med WY0.48× 1.7× Med SD0.86× 3.1× Med IA0.79× 2.9× Med IL1.01× 3.7× Med IN1.25× 4.5× Med OH0.92× 3.3× Med PA0.95× 3.4× Med NY0.77× 2.8× Med MA1.14× 4.1× Med CA1.22× 4.4× Med UT1.98× 7.2× Med CO0.96× 3.5× Med NE1.29× 4.7× Med MO0.93× 3.4× Med KY1.00× 3.6× Med WV0.92× 3.3× Med VA1.08× 3.9× Med MD0.35× 1.1× Med NJ1.07× 3.9× Med CT0.50× 1.8× Med AZ1.01× 3.7× Med NM0.98× 3.5× Med KS1.35× 4.9× Med AR0.93× 3.4× Med TN0.88× 3.2× Med NC0.93× 3.4× Med SC0.96× 3.5× Med DE1.28× 4.6× Med DC1.29× 4.7× Med RI1.40× 5.1× Med OK0.99× 3.6× Med LA0.88× 3.2× Med MS0.90× 3.3× Med AL0.88× 3.2× Med GA0.82× 3.0× Med HI0.54× 2.0× Med TX1.04× 3.8× Med FL1.04× 3.8× Med PR0.35× 0.8× Med

MD0.35×1.1× Med PR0.35×0.8× Med ME0.39×1.4× Med WY0.48×1.7× Med CT0.50×1.8× Med HI0.54×2.0× Med VT0.61×2.2× Med ID0.63×2.3× Med MI0.77×2.8× Med NY0.77×2.8× Med IA0.79×2.9× Med GA0.82×3.0× Med NV0.82×3.0× Med MT0.86×3.1× Med SD0.86×3.1× Med AL0.88×3.2× Med LA0.88×3.2× Med TN0.88×3.2× Med MS0.90×3.3× Med OH0.92×3.3× Med WV0.92×3.3× Med AR0.93×3.4× Med MO0.93×3.4× Med NC0.93×3.4× Med PA0.95×3.4× Med CO0.96×3.5× Med SC0.96×3.5× Med ND0.98×3.5× Med NM0.98×3.5× Med OK0.99×3.6× Med KY1.00×3.6× Med MN1.00×3.6× Med AZ1.01×3.7× Med IL1.01×3.7× Med FL1.04×3.8× Med TX1.04×3.8× Med WI1.05×3.8× Med NJ1.07×3.9× Med OR1.07×3.9× Med VA1.08×3.9× Med MA1.14×4.1× Med CA1.22×4.4× Med NH1.24×4.5× Med IN1.25×4.5× Med DE1.28×4.6× Med DC1.29×4.7× Med NE1.29×4.7× Med KS1.35×4.9× Med RI1.40×5.1× Med WA1.62×5.9× Med AK1.83×6.6× Med UT1.98×7.2× Med

5 Lowest-Price States (Confounder-Isolated Value Leaders)

MD0.35×(1.1×)PR0.35×(0.8×)ME0.39×(1.4×)WY0.48×(1.7×)CT0.50×(1.8×)

5 Highest-Markup States (Strict Bill Audit Recommended)

UT1.98×(7.2×)AK1.83×(6.6×)WA1.62×(5.9×)RI1.40×(5.1×)KS1.35×(4.9×)

The BaseRate high confidence

$92

the fair national price for a x-ray, chest (single view)

typically $27–$196 across 2,709 hospitals · how we calculate it

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

2,709

hospitals priced

states

7.3×

price spread — where shopping matters

3.6×

vs. Medicare

Across 2,709 hospitals in 52 states, a x-ray, chest (single view) has a fair BaseRate of $92 and typically costs $27–$196. The cheapest state is PR; the priciest is UT.

Cheapest hospitals for a x-ray, chest (single view)

X-ray, chest (single view) cost by state

AK $168 5 hospitals AL $81 49 hospitals AR $86 45 hospitals AZ $93 42 hospitals CA $112 212 hospitals CO $88 56 hospitals CT $46 16 hospitals DC $119 5 hospitals DE $118 9 hospitals FL $96 155 hospitals GA $75 88 hospitals HI $50 19 hospitals IA $73 77 hospitals ID $58 18 hospitals IL $93 106 hospitals IN $115 73 hospitals KS $124 86 hospitals KY $92 34 hospitals LA $81 76 hospitals MA $105 41 hospitals MD $27 3 hospitals ME $36 20 hospitals MI $71 58 hospitals MN $92 61 hospitals MO $86 71 hospitals MS $83 59 hospitals MT $79 8 hospitals NC $86 52 hospitals ND $90 16 hospitals NE $119 46 hospitals NH $114 14 hospitals NJ $98 49 hospitals NM $90 10 hospitals NV $75 20 hospitals NY $71 79 hospitals OH $85 103 hospitals OK $91 67 hospitals OR $98 29 hospitals PA $87 112 hospitals PR $21 4 hospitals RI $129 6 hospitals SC $88 40 hospitals SD $79 10 hospitals TN $81 69 hospitals TX $96 249 hospitals UT $182 37 hospitals VA $99 51 hospitals VT $56 6 hospitals WA $149 44 hospitals WI $97 83 hospitals WV $85 16 hospitals WY $44 5 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™ $92

Medicare Rate $53

Self-Pay Cash Request Quote

Insurer Median $92

1. Amount on Your Bill or Quote ($) Pre-filled with U.S. Hospital Benchmark’s charged/list benchmark

2. Household Annual Income ($) Screened against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines

3. Household Size (1–8) 2026 FPL: $15,650 + $5,500 per additional person

Step 1 · 501(r) Charity Care Check 501(r) AGB Cap: $80 (274% FPL)

Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $80

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 = $80).

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 +$129 Above Fair BaseRate

Negotiate Toward $92 Fair BaseRate ($53 Medicare)

Your bill ($221) is $129 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($92) and 4.2× the $53 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.