 | With Health Insurance: Copay or 10%-50% Coinsurance |
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 | Without Health Insurance: $1,000-$3,000+ |
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| An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to look at the heart and can be used for diagnosis and during treatment of various conditions, including congenital heart disease, heart murmurs, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and heart infection. | | |
| Typical costs: | - For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket cost for an echocardiogram typically consists of a copay or coinsurance of 10%-50%. An echocardiogram typically is covered by insurance when ordered to help diagnose or monitor a heart problem, but not as a routine screening test. For example, United Healthcare covers it for diagnosis and monitoring of a range of heart abnormalities in adults, but does not cover it for screening in the general population, including athletes with no symptoms of heart disease.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, an echocardiogram typically costs $1,000 -$3,000 or more, including a $200 -$300 fee for interpretation by a cardiologist. Costs for a standard (transthoracic) echocardiogram tend to fall in the middle of the range, while costs for a stress echocardiogram, which involves exercising on a treadmill, or a transesophageal echocardiogram, which involves inserting a scope down the throat and through the esophagus to get a better view, tend to be on the higher end. For example, Wooster Community Hospital in Ohio charges about $900, not including the interpretation fee, for a standard echocardiogram. St. Peter's Hospital in Montana charges almost $1,200. Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Nebraska charges about $1,400 for a standard echocardiogram and almost $2,000 for a transesophageal echocardiogram, not including interpretation fee. And Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire charges about $2,200, including professional fees, after a 30% uninsured discount, for a standard echocardiogram. And they charge about $2,800 for a stress echocardiogram.
What should be included: | - For a transthoracic echocardiogram -- the most common type -- a technologist places a clear gel on the chest and abdomen and uses a hand-held device called a transducer, which emits sound waves to create images of the heart. The device transmits the images to an echocardiogram machine that creates a moving image of the heart that shows pumping action and structures, including valves and chambers. Later, a cardiologist reviews and interprets the images. The National Institutes of Health offers an overview.
- Other types include the stress echocardiogram and the transesophageal echocardiogram.
Additional costs: | - If the standard echocardiogram doesn't provide enough information, the doctor might order a follow-up transesophageal echocardiogram.
Discounts: | - Some clinics offer imaging and specialist 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 at the time of service.
Shopping for an echocardiogram: | - A family doctor or cardiologist 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 ultrasound procedures.
- After the procedure, a cardiologist can recommend follow-up treatment or further testing. The American College of Cardiology offers a cardiologist locator by zip code. A cardiologist should be board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and have further training in cardiovascular disease.
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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.
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Article updated February 2012 |
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