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CostHelper > Health & Personal Care  > Medical Specialties & Departments > EEG

EEG Cost


How Much Does an EEG Cost?

 
average costWith Health Insurance: Copay or 10%-50% Coinsurancehigh costWithout Health Insurance: $200-$3,000+

An EEG, or electroencephalography, measures electrical activity in the brain and can be used in diagnosis and treatment of head injuries, infections, brain tumors, epilepsy, sleep disorders, coma and diseases such as Alzheimer's. It also can be used to monitor a patient during surgery.

Typical costs:

  • For patients covered by health insurance, typical out-of-pocket costs for an EEG would consist of a copay or coinsurance of 10%-50%. An EEG typically is covered by health insurance when medically necessary to diagnose or monitor a problem, or during surgery.
  • For patients not covered by health insurance, an EEG typically costs $200-$700 or more for a standard EEG -- or up to $3,000 or more if extended monitoring is required. For example, Garden City Hospital[1] in Michigan charges $749 for an EEG, but offers the test for $199 through a special program for uninsured patients. St. Peter's Hospital[2] in Montana charges almost $500 for an awake-and-asleep EEG, about $630 for an awake-and-drowsy EEG and almost $1,300 for a 24-hour EEG. And Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center[3] in Nebraska, not including doctor fee, charges about $650 for an awake-and-drowsy EEG, about $700 for an awake-and-asleep EEG, about $1,100 for extended EEG monitoring of over an hour, and about $3,000 for EEG monitoring and video recording for 24 hours.
Related articles: Brain Tumor Treatment, Sleep Center, Health Insurance

What should be included:
  • An EEG technologist will ask the patient to lie down and will use a sticky paste to attach multiple electrodes to the scalp. The provider might then ask the patient to perform various activities, such as stare at a light, relax with the eyes closed and go to sleep. The test usually takes about an hour and a half. A computer screen displays a graph of the brain waves, and the test is later interpreted by a neurologist with special EEG training. The National Institutes of Health offers an EEG overview[4] .
  • In some cases, such as to diagnose epilepsy, extended monitoring might be required. In an ambulatory EEG[5] , for example, the patient goes about daily activities for up to 72 hours while wearing monitoring equipment. And in an extended EEG, the patient is monitored, typically in a hospital setting, for 24 hours or more, usually with video recording[6] .
Additional costs:
  • If a standard EEG does not provide sufficient information, an extended EEG might be required at a typical cost of $1,000-$3,000 or more.
Discounts:
  • Many hospitals 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.
Shopping for an eeg:
  • A neurologist or other doctor typically orders an EEG. The American Academy of Neurology offers a neurologist locator[8] by city and state, which offers the ability to search by subspecialty, including doctors who specialize in epilepsy. The EEG typically is performed either at the doctor's office or at a hospital by a trained EEG technologist. If necessary, the doctor ordering the test can make a referral to a hospital.
  • For patients suffering from sleep disorders, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine offers a sleep center locator[9] . Sleep centers often use EEGs to help diagnose sleep disorders.
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
EEG
Amount: $26,000.00
Posted by: Shanita in Hopewell, NJ.Posted: December 22nd, 2020 12:12PM
Physician: Medical Center: Capital Health
26,000.00
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cost of EEG
Amount: $5,743.00
Posted by: Local KC area in Kansas City, Missouri, MO.Posted: December 10th, 2020 09:12AM
Physician: Medical Center: Children's Mercy KC
I felt like the hospital or nurse should have prepared us for this cost amount. This was an elective procedure, not something that was an emergency.
$8848 minus $3415.33 paid by insurance
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72 hour EEG
Amount: $167,000.00
Posted by: Carolyn Marie Frankowski in Dallas, TX.Posted: August 28th, 2020 08:08AM
Physician: NeuLine HealthMedical Center:
This is the amount they originally sent to Cigna. The second amount they billed was $22000. Of course they are out of network. The first billing amount is ridiculous large. The second is not much better. This company did not notify me they were out of network or did they pre-certify the procedure with Cigna.
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72 hour at home eeg
Amount: $1,200.00
Posted by: Jerri Gall in Stafford, VA.Posted: September 1st, 2019 11:09AM
My insurance company only covered $1200. The eeg company just sent me a bill for $22,650. Of course I found out after that the were not a preferred company, but I have federal BC/BS. They cover everything.
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John
Amount: $5,302.00
Posted by: JonJ in Spartanburg, SC.Posted: December 1st, 2018 10:12AM
Physician: ENT Butehorn. SRMC unknownMedical Center: Spartanburg Regional Medical Center
Overnight 9pm-6am. Northgrove
EEG Gen Class. $5,302
Blue Cross pmt $3,130
Blue Cross adj $971
You owe. $1,199
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Sleep Study EEG (12 hours)
Amount: $3,916.00
Posted by: Jason E Hirsch in Rochester, NY.Posted: July 16th, 2018 03:07PM
Physician: UnkMedical Center: UR Medical, Rochester NY
Unbelievable- the EEG for a sleep study was nearly 4000$. Insurance disallowed all but 1400, and I'm on the hook for 400$.
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72 hour eeg with video
Amount: $1,800.00
Posted by: Susanne Mackenzie in Glen Burnie, MD.Posted: November 20th, 2017 05:11PM
Physician: Mid Atlantic NeurologyMedical Center:
Just got the unexpected $1500.00 bill. My united healthcare only covered $300.00
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extended EEG
Amount: $5,000.00
Posted by: George E Doughty in Dallas, TX.Posted: August 20th, 2017 08:08PM
Physician: Anna Tseng, MDMedical Center: Neurology Assciates, Dallas
Fountunately my insurance covered it. Started at noon Friday to noon on Sunday with video sound recording.
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No cost control in OR situation
Amount: $256.10
Posted by: BnmiC of MD in Bethesda, MD.Posted: March 20th, 2017 05:03PM
Physician: Jonathan M. JohnsonMedical Center: Suburban Hospital
Retail price: $2165.00 - co-pay after CIGNA discounts and write offs/not allowed = 256.10
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EEG Test
Amount: $4,000.00
Posted by: Summerset in Grand Junction, CO.Posted: March 27th, 2016 02:03PM
Physician: Not sureMedical Center: St. Mary\'s medical center
I went in for a simple EEG Test, the test lasted less than five minutes, and that was for everything from start to finish.
They charged me 4000.00 for this simple test, Why?
Alan B.
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Better and more convenient EEG option
Amount: $150.00
Posted by: Jane Troja in Farmington Hills, MI.Posted: December 15th, 2014 12:12PM
Physician: Dr.MaazMedical Center: Synapse Neurodiagnostics
I had been given only prescription from my doctor and had to find lab on my own. It was not easy but then I found Synapse. This lab sent clinician to my home so I did not have to travel or wait at the office. I had 72 hour EEG and it cost me less than the copay alone if I went to the hospital.
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Third option for long term EEG
Amount: $0.00
Posted by: Loreen in Westland, MI.Posted: July 11th, 2014 08:07AM
Physician: Dr.MaazMedical Center: Synapse
There is also third option available, suggested by my neurologist. In some States like Michigan (my mom had it done in Florida) regular and long term EEG's are performed at home by mobile diagnostic centers called IDTF, mine was synapseq.com. Automatically all hospital costs are out of the picture, the company comes to you. In my case, I did not have to travel anywhere so I saved time & money here as well. Also, the EEG I had for three days was paid for by Medicare and I did not have to pay any copays. So my final cost for three day study was $0.00 That's the best solution. The hospital scheduled me for appointment over three and a half months away. Here I had my EEG done in a week, no hassle.
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External Resources:
  1.  www.gch.org/Home.aspx?id=219&sid=1
  2.  www.stpetes.org/hospital/patient-family-visitor-services/costs
  3.  www.saintelizabethonline.com/price-estimator-1.html
  4.  www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003931.htm
  5.  emedicine.medscape.com/article/1139483-overview
  6.  emedicine.medscape.com/article/1137908-overview
  7.  www.whhs.com/about/washington-hospital-discount-policy-for-uninsured/
  8.  patients.aan.com/findaneurologist/
  9.  www.sleepeducation.com/find-a-center
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