 | With Health Insurance: $10-$50 Copay or 10%-50% Coinsurance |
|
 | Without Health Insurance: $250-$400+ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
| A breast ultrasound typically is used as a follow-up to a mammogram to get more information about an abnormality, or to check for a growth in a patient who is experiencing certain symptoms. A breast ultrasound has no known risks. | | |
| Typical costs: | - A breast ultrasound typically is covered by health insurance when ordered by a doctor for diagnosis of a problem, but many insurance companies do not cover it for routine screening. For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket costs typically consist of a copay of $10 -$50 or more, or coinsurance of 10%-50% or more.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, the cost of a breast ultrasound varies by provider and region with a national average cost of $360, according to NewChoiceHealth.com. Pueblo Radiology Medical Group Services, in California, charges $350 for a breast ultrasound. Baptist Memorial Healthcare in Tennessee, charges $252 for a unilateral and $328 for a bilateral breast ultrasound. And Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Nebraska, charges $406 for a unilateral or bilateral breast ultrasound, not including the radiologist fee. A radiologist might charge $100 or more to interpret the images.
What should be included: | - The patient typically undresses from the waist up and puts on a gown. A technologist places a clear gel on the breast and uses a hand-held device called a transducer that emits sound waves to create an image of the breast tissue on a screen. The procedure usually takes about half an hour.
- Later, a radiologist will review the images. The ultrasound can help health care providers learn more about an abnormality on a mammogram and/or determine whether a lump is a fluid-filled cyst, in which case there might be no need for further tests or treatment, or a solid growth, in which case further tests likely will be ordered.
- WebMD Women's Health offers an overview of breast ultrasounds.
Additional costs: | - Depending on the results, the patient might need another ultrasound or imaging test, a fine needle aspiration of a breast cyst, which typically costs $150 -$500, or a breast biopsy, which typically costs $1,000 -$5,000, depending on the type of biopsy, according to women's health website Imaginis.com. The cost of a needle biopsy would fall on the lower end of the spectrum, and a surgical biopsy on the higher end. The Mayo Clinic has additional information on breast biopsy.
Discounts: | - Some clinics offer breast ultrasound services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a locator for clinics that provide discounts on an income-based sliding scale.
- Many hospitals and imaging centers give discounts of up to 30% or more to uninsured/cash-paying patients. For example, Washington Hospital Healthcare System in California offers a 35% discount. And Raleigh Radiology in North Carolina offers a 40% discount for payment made in full at the time of service.
Shopping for a breast ultrasound: | - A family doctor or specialist can make a referral to a hospital or imaging center. Or, the American College of Radiology offers a locator by zip code for facilities that are ACR-accredited in the breast ultrasound procedure.
- The hospital or imaging center typically will have a radiologist to interpret X-rays. The radiologist should be board certified by the American Board of Radiology.
- The University of Maryland Medical Center Breast Center offers information on how a breast ultrasound compares with other types of breast imaging procedures.
- In case a biopsy is recommended after an ultrasound, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has a guide to making decisions about a breast biopsy, including questions to ask the doctor beforehand.
|
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
|
Article updated June 2011 |
|
E-mail
Post