Short answer: There is no single national cash price for a CT scan. As a benchmark, Medicare's 2026 national average total for common CT scans runs about $163 to $694, including the facility fee and the radiologist's fee (Medicare Procedure Price Lookup). Self-pay prices are set by each facility and can be much higher, especially at hospitals.
A CT (computed tomography, or "CAT") scan bill depends on four things: the body part, whether contrast dye is used, where the scan is done, and who reads it. This guide gives you a cited benchmark for each common scan, explains what makes up the bill, and walks through how to ask for a cash price and what federal rules protect you as a self-pay patient.
How much is a CT scan without insurance in 2026?
The most reliable public reference point is what Medicare pays. Medicare's Procedure Price Lookup publishes 2026 national averages for each CPT code (the billing code your doctor's order will carry). These are not cash prices, but they show the relative cost of each scan and give you a number to compare any quote against. A quote several times higher than the Medicare total is common at hospitals; it is also a signal to keep shopping or to ask for the facility's discounted cash price.
| CPT code | Scan | Hospital outpatient total | Facility fee | Doctor (radiologist) fee | ASC total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70450 | Head or brain, without contrast | $212 | $106 | $106 | $163 |
| 70460 | Head or brain, with contrast | $327 | $179 | $148 | $244 |
| 70486 | Sinus and face (maxillofacial), without contrast | $212 | $106 | $106 | $185 |
| 71250 | Chest, without contrast | $212 | $106 | $106 | $189 |
| 71260 | Chest, with contrast | $345 | $179 | $166 | $263 |
| 71275 | Chest CT angiography (CTA) | $358 | $179 | $179 | $377 |
| 72131 | Lumbar spine, without contrast | $212 | $106 | $106 | $186 |
| 74150 | Abdomen, without contrast | $212 | $106 | $106 | $193 |
| 74160 | Abdomen, with contrast | $358 | $179 | $179 | $327 |
| 74176 | Abdomen and pelvis, without contrast | $426 | $243 | $183 | $286 |
| 74177 | Abdomen and pelvis, with contrast | $656 | $356 | $300 | $492 |
| 74178 | Abdomen and pelvis, without then with contrast | $694 | $356 | $338 | $530 |
| 75574 | Coronary CT angiography (heart) | $681 | $356 | $325 | $517 |
Source: Medicare Procedure Price Lookup, national averages based on Medicare's 2026 payments and copayments, retrieved October 7, 2026. Totals are what Medicare approves (Medicare's share plus the patient's 20 percent coinsurance), not a cash price quoted to an uninsured patient. Your local amount varies by location.
"ASC" is ambulatory surgical center, the second setting Medicare's tool lists. Freestanding imaging centers are paid under a different Medicare schedule that this tool does not show, so ask them directly for their all-in self-pay price.
Why does a CT with contrast cost more?
Contrast scans take extra imaging series and an IV injection, and they are billed under different codes. In Medicare's own 2026 numbers, a hospital outpatient head CT without contrast (70450) averages $212 versus $327 with contrast (70460), and an abdomen and pelvis CT averages $426 without contrast (74176) versus $656 with contrast (74177). Whether you need contrast is a medical decision for your doctor, but it is reasonable to ask which code was ordered so you can price the right scan.
What is the difference between the facility fee and the radiologist fee?
Most CT bills have two parts. The facility (technical) fee pays for the scanner, the technologist and the building. The professional fee pays the radiologist who reads the images and writes the report. In the table above, a hospital outpatient abdomen and pelvis CT with contrast splits into a $356 facility fee and a $300 doctor fee. Some facilities quote only one part, and the radiologist group bills you separately later. When you ask for a price, ask whether it is "global," meaning both parts.
Is a CT scan cheaper at an imaging center than at a hospital?
Often, but not always, so compare written quotes. Medicare's own payments show the setting effect: for 74177, the facility portion is $356 in a hospital outpatient department versus $192 in an ambulatory surgical center. For self-pay patients the gap can be larger, because hospitals set their own cash prices. Hospitals must post standard charges, including discounted cash prices, and must show prices for at least 300 shoppable services that can be planned in advance (CMS Hospital Price Transparency). Independent imaging centers are not covered by that hospital rule, so call and ask.
How do I get a cash price for a CT scan?
- Get the exact CPT code from the ordering office, including whether contrast is ordered (for example 74176 versus 74177).
- Call two or three facilities and ask for the self-pay price for that code, and whether it includes the radiologist's read.
- Check the hospital's posted prices on its price transparency page for the discounted cash price.
- Check a local estimate with the free FAIR Health Consumer lookup by ZIP code.
- Ask for a written good faith estimate before you book, and ask whether there is a discount for paying at the time of service.
What are my rights as a self-pay patient?
Under the No Surprises Act, if you are uninsured or choose not to use insurance, a provider or facility must give you a written good faith estimate when you ask for one or when you schedule at least 3 business days ahead. If you schedule 3 to 9 business days ahead it is due within 1 business day; 10 or more business days ahead, within 3 business days; if you ask before scheduling, within 3 business days (CMS). Each estimate covers one provider or facility, so the facility, the reading doctor and any anesthesia group may each give you a separate one.
Keep the estimate. If a provider or facility bills you at least $400 more than its own estimate, you can start a patient-provider dispute within 120 calendar days of the first bill, with a $25 non-refundable fee (CMS). You cannot use that process without a written estimate, which is why asking for one before the appointment matters.
Can I get financial help with a hospital bill?
Nonprofit hospitals must have a written financial assistance policy under Section 501(r) of the tax code (IRS). Eligibility rules and discounts are set by each hospital, so ask for the policy and the application before or soon after the service. Many facilities also offer payment plans; ask whether a plan carries interest before you sign.
When should you not shop around?
Price shopping is for scans that can be planned. If you have severe or sudden symptoms, such as sudden severe headache, chest pain, trouble breathing, weakness on one side, or severe abdominal pain, go to an emergency department or call 911. Federal surprise billing protections for emergency care are separate from the self-pay estimate rules above.
Related guides and doctors
Compare imaging costs with our MRI cost without insurance guide, see what an office visit costs in the cost of a doctor visit without insurance, or look up billing terms in the health insurance glossary. To find a specialist who can order or review a scan, use Find a Doctor or browse radiologists.