Why the same service has six different prices

What the spread looks like

Look up one service in one ZIP code and you will often see a wide range. In our example data for a head CT without contrast near 89052, six providers post prices of $250, $340, $520, $980, $1,650, and $2,300. For a basic blood panel, the example range runs from $38 to $410.

Nothing about the scan itself changes that much from one building to the next. The differences come from who is charging and how.

The kind of place matters

Across our example sets, the same pattern shows up: independent imaging centers, labs, and surgery centers post the lowest prices, outpatient clinics sit in the middle, and hospital outpatient departments and hospitals post the highest. That is a pattern in the example data, not a rule. Individual providers do not always follow it, which is why you check each one.

A hospital may carry costs a standalone center does not, like round-the-clock staffing and emergency services, and its prices may reflect that. A standalone center that does a narrow set of services all day can often post a lower price for those services.

The price may not include the same things

Two posted prices for the same scan may not cover the same work. One may include the doctor who reads the images; another may leave that to a separate bill. A colonoscopy price may or may not include anesthesia, the facility, or a lab that examines anything removed during the procedure.

Before comparing, ask each provider the same question: what does this price include, and who else might bill me?

Where posted prices come from

Posted self-pay prices are set by each provider and published by that provider. Nobody sets one price for a service across a city. Providers can also change their prices, so a price you saw a few months ago may not be the price today.

That is why every price worth using has two things attached: where it came from and when it was checked. On BoDirect, each price shows its source and the date it was last checked. The prices on this site are example data.

How to compare fairly

A fair comparison takes a few minutes and removes a lot of guessing:

• Use the exact service name from your order, and the procedure code if there is one.
• Ask each provider what the price includes and who else may bill you.
• Note the source and date of every price.
• Weigh distance, wait time, and your doctor’s advice alongside the number.
• Ask the one you choose for a written Good Faith Estimate before you book.

A number you can plan around

A wide spread is not a reason to panic. It is information. Once you can see who charges what for the same service, you can choose on purpose. And once you have the written estimate from the provider you chose, you have a number to plan around and something to compare the bill against when it comes.