Breast Ultrasound Cost

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.

• 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] .

• 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] .

• 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.

• 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.

1.  www.newchoicehealth.com/Directory/Procedure/58/Breast%20Ultrasound
2.  www.puebloradiology.com/ultrasound.html#10
3.  tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
4.  women.webmd.com/guide/breast-ultrasound
5.  www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-biopsy/MY00301/DSECTION=what-you-can-expect
6.  findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx
7.  www.whhs.com/about/washington-hospital-discount-policy-for-uninsured/
8.  www.umm.edu/breastcenter/faq.htm#11
9.  www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/ehc/products/17/407/core%20needle%20consumer%20guide.pdf

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