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 |  | With Health Insurance: $10-$50 Copay or 10%-50% Coinsurance |  | Without Health Insurance: $250-$400+ |
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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[1] . Pueblo Radiology Medical Group Services[2] , 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[3] 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.
Related articles: Mammogram, Breast Cyst Aspiration
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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[4] .
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[5] .
Discounts: |
- Some clinics offer breast ultrasound services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a locator[6] 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[7] 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[8] 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[9] , including questions to ask the doctor beforehand.
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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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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: AJ209 in Stockton, CA. | Posted: November 27th, 2018 05:11PM |
| Medical Center: Kaiser Stockton CA | Practitioner: |
Outrageous amount to pay for one breast only. Not doing it again for dense breast tissue at 59. I am a bronze plan member of Kaiser |
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| Posted by: Healthcare or Sickcare in Las Cruces, NM. | Posted: June 7th, 2018 06:06AM |
| Medical Center: Memorial Medical Center and Imaging Asso | Practitioner: |
High Deductible. Benign finding. Facility lacked compassion or kindness; waited for 2 hours, no apology for wait, ultrasound tech did not speak to me or provide eye contact, and forcefully pulled my breast.
I am a Registered Nurse with over 19 years experience. The care and cost was deplorable. We must vote for change! |
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| Posted by: CKCK in Katonah, NY. | Posted: March 21st, 2018 05:03AM |
| Medical Center: Yorktown Imaging | Practitioner: |
Total charges 3116 with insurance adjustment of 1571.53. Patient pays 1544.47. Very glad to have found this site to get the references. Need to shop around for future tests. |
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| Posted by: Chris Smith in Alexandria, VA. | Posted: September 21st, 2017 07:09AM |
| Medical Center: Ultrasound Assoc, N. VA | Practitioner: |
$590 was the out of pocket which is outrageous. I looked at the claim, they charged $863 PER BREAST!!!! This does not include the X-ray of $548...Insurance covered 80% but the insurance company should even question this!!! Why so much and why charge so much per breast??!??!!!???! It's the fleecing of America!!! |
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| Posted by: Suzi Leonard in Hendersonville, NC. | Posted: August 14th, 2017 03:08PM |
| Medical Center: Pardee, Hendersonville, NC | Practitioner: |
Part of the UNC system. I am a Medicare patient, but this seems an outrageous amount for an ultrasound, on top of a $579 Mammography charge. No wonder we're in trouble with health costs! |
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| Posted by: K D in HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC. | Posted: July 14th, 2017 06:07AM |
| Medical Center: Suncoast Imaging | Practitioner: |
Insurance price $300 towards deductible. $151 self pay in office. |
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| Posted by: Rae King in Edgewood, KY. | Posted: March 4th, 2017 05:03PM |
| Medical Center: St Elizabeth | Practitioner: |
$4,200 charge for 30 minute usage of a procedure room I was not advised of prior to. Was not sure this room was necessary. |
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| Posted by: rjohnson in Miami, FL. | Posted: February 24th, 2017 08:02AM |
| Medical Center: Baptist of Kendall Miami Florida | Practitioner: |
A reminder for a mammogram and ultrasound to be done the call the cost will $379.00 for the ultrasound of breast if I did not have the funds I can reschedule until when I get the money; When you come up with $250.00 we can see you where are the millions upon millions of funds raised are going |
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External Resources: |
- www.newchoicehealth.com/Directory/Procedure/58/Breast%20Ultrasound
- www.puebloradiology.com/ultrasound.html#10
- tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
- women.webmd.com/guide/breast-ultrasound
- www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-biopsy/MY00301/DSECTION=what-you-can-expect
- findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx
- www.whhs.com/about/washington-hospital-discount-policy-for-uninsured/
- www.umm.edu/breastcenter/faq.htm#11
- www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/17/407/core%20needle%20consumer%20guide.pdf
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