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Ultrasound tests can be incredibly helpful in diagnosing internal issues or conditions and are commonly used to monitor the growth and development of unborn babies. However, like most medical tests, ultrasounds can quickly become expensive. How much do ultrasounds generally cost?
Before insurance, ultrasounds cost an average of $400. However, prices vary based on the state, health clinic, insurance coverage, image type, and the body region being tested. In general, ultrasounds cost between $100 and $1,500 depending on these factors.
Read on to learn more about the average price of an ultrasound, whether or not health insurance covers the cost of these tests, and even what can make an ultrasound cheaper.
What is an Ultrasound?
An ultrasound is also referred to as sonography or ultrasonography. It is a noninvasive imaging test that is used in the medical field to allow medical professionals to view organs, tissue, blood vessels, and other structures within the body. Ultrasounds are considered to be noninvasive because, unlike other imaging tests like X-rays, ultrasounds don’t use any radiation. Instead, they use sound waves to create a picture.
Most people associate the idea of ultrasound with pregnancy, as this is one of the most common uses of the technology within the medical field. However, ultrasound technology is commonly used for other purposes as well. Ultrasounds can be used to monitor or show images of the heart, blood vessels, eyes, thyroid, brain, abdominal organs, skin, muscles, or breasts.
What Impacts the Cost of an Ultrasound?
The cost of an ultrasound is dependent on several factors. However, the most influential factors are what part of your body the ultrasound is being done on and the type of clinic or hospital the ultrasound is being done at. Where the clinic or hospital is located also affects the cost of an ultrasound.
Private and Stand Alone Clinics vs BIg Hospitals
While most people have ultrasounds done at a hospital because they have ultrasound machines readily available, it is often cheaper to have an ultrasound done at a smaller medical facility or clinic. At most smaller medical facilities, ultrasounds cost $150 to $400.
However, the number of ultrasound machines is often limited, so you might have to wait a while to get an ultrasound and it might be hard to get an appointment to have one done at this type of facility. At large hospitals, they cost about $1000. However, it is often easier to get an ultrasound done at a hospital, as there are more ultrasound machines available.
Before you get an ultrasound, determine whether or not your insurance will pay for most or part of the cost of an ultrasound. Some health insurance policies don’t cover testing done at medical clinics or small medical facilities.
Body Region or Area Tested
It is difficult to say exactly how much an ultrasound will cost solely based on the part of the body that will be tested. However, there are some body parts that will cost more than others when tested with an ultrasound. On average, the most expensive places to receive an ultrasound are for a fetus, the pelvis, the chest, the breast, and the eyes. Spine, bone, hip, head, neck, and abdominal ultrasounds are far less expensive.
Ultrasound Costs by State
As is true of most medical expenses, the cost of an ultrasound is partially influenced by the state where the medical care is received. The pricing of an eye ultrasound ranges from around $500 to $1,200 in California or New York but starts as low as $150 in less populated states. In the following table, you can see the average price of getting an ultrasound in each of the fifty US states.
| State | Cost |
| Alabama | $860 |
| Alaska | $897 |
| Arizona | $1,125 |
| Arkansas | $388 |
| California | $1,121 |
| Colorado | $899 |
| Connecticut | $695 |
| Delaware | $1,155 |
| Florida | $1,110 |
| Georgia | $952 |
| Hawaii | $365 |
| Idaho | $542 |
| Illinois | $1,068 |
| Indiana | $678 |
| Iowa | $736 |
| Kansas | $1,002 |
| Kentucky | $640 |
| Louisana | $538 |
| Maine | $716 |
| Maryland | $434 |
| Massachusetts | $785 |
| Michigan | $548 |
| Minnesota | $556 |
| Mississippi | $525 |
| Missouri | $803 |
| Montana | $351 |
| Nebraska | $843 |
| Nevada | $1,041 |
| New Hampshire | $565 |
| New Jersey | $319 |
| New Mexico | $646 |
| New York | $676 |
| North Carolina | $625 |
| North Dakota | $535 |
| Ohio | $643 |
| Oklahoma | $507 |
| Oregon | $478 |
| Pennsylvania | $548 |
| Rhode Island | $386 |
| South Carolina | $912 |
| South Dakota | $871 |
| Tennessee | $719 |
| Texas | $1,269 |
| Utah | $462 |
| Vermont | $773 |
| Virginia | $1,114 |
| Washington | $518 |
| West Virginia | $385 |
| Wisconsin | $679 |
| Wyoming | $899 |
Are There Different Types of Ultrasounds?
As aforementioned, there are different types of ultrasounds. The cost of an ultrasound can vary based on the type of test or the type of image that is being produced by the ultrasound scan. Read on to learn about the difference between pregnancy and diagnostic ultrasounds. There is also more information on the different types of images that can be produced during an ultrasound.
Pregnancy Ultrasound vs Diagnostic Ultrasounds
There are two types of ultrasounds that are used in the medical field: pregnancy ultrasounds and diagnostic ultrasounds. The first of these two is explained rather plainly through its name. As one might imagine, pregnancy ultrasounds are used to monitor the growth and development of a fetus before birth. Generally, pregnancy ultrasounds cost more than those used to view other body parts and functions, but this depends on other factors as well.
Pregnancy ultrasounds can reveal information about the gender, health, growth, and overall development of the unborn child. They can also reveal whether the child has signs of Down Syndrome or has any birth defects in the brain, spine, or heart.
These scans can check the levels of amniotic fluid that the baby is currently in and show whether there is enough of this clear fluid to keep the fetus healthy while in the womb. Both lung development and bone growth are promoted by this amniotic fluid as well. The size and gender of unborn children, as well as the number of babies a woman is pregnant with, can also be determined because of an ultrasound.
The second type of ultrasound is a diagnostic ultrasound. There are used by medical professionals to inform the doctor and patient about internal body parts and functions. This includes various organs and blood vessels within the body. They are commonly used to monitor whether or not the blood of an individual is flowing at a normal level and rate.
Organs such as the gallbladder, heart, thyroid, abdomen, and kidneys are regularly viewed through ultrasounds as well. Diagnostic ultrasounds can check for blockages, cancerous and noncancerous growths, and abnormalities that may exist in these organs as well.
Which One is More Expensive?
As mentioned above, pregnancy ultrasounds can cost between $100 to more than $1,000 depending on various factors. Diagnostic ultrasounds can cost from $70 to $1,100 or more. This means that it is difficult to determine which type of ultrasound is more expensive.
Ultrasound Device & Imaging Options
The type of ultrasound that is used will also determine the cost of the test for the patient. Based on the needs of the patient, ultrasound technology is capable of producing images that are in color or black and white. It is also possible to look at the picture in 2D, 3D, or 4D with newer ultrasound equipment models.
The increase in pricing from 2D to 3D is around $100, but upgrading from a 3D to a 4D image will cost about $100 to $300. Needless to say, the newer, more expensive, and most advanced technology will provide the clearest and most accurate images but will be more expensive.
Does Insurance Pay for Ultrasounds?
Before you get an ultrasound and determine how much it will cost to get one, you must determine whether or not your health insurance will pay for it.
This is difficult to generalize because each insurance provider and each specific policy varies based on the person and the coverage that is in place. However, in most cases, insurance companies will not cover the cost of an ultrasound unless a doctor specifically states that it is medically necessary. Luckily, when an ultrasound is done, it means that a doctor has deemed it medically necessary, which means that your insurance will likely pay at least part of the cost of an ultrasound.
Contact your insurance provider and ask directly about the coverage you receive through your insurance policy. There are many insurance providers who will only pay the price of ultrasound for patients that are above the age of 18.
It is also important to contact your insurance provider and see which healthcare facilities, hospitals, doctors, and kinds of ultrasounds are included in your policy, as if you go to a medical facility that is not covered by your insurance, you will likely be responsible for paying the entire cost of the ultrasound. For cases in which insurance will cover the ultrasound, this could mean partial or full coverage based on your specific situation. This will also only be relevant if you have met your deductible, and you may still have to pay for part of the ultrasound.
How to Save Money on an Ultrasound
VeriVitae is an online medical marketplace website. It allows patients to look up and research nearby doctors in their area and compare prices in order to find the best and most affordable options! Many people use this service in order to find the cheapest medical facilities where they can get X-rays, ultrasounds, and lab tests of all kinds.
The video below tells you how to use VeriVitae.
Besides VeriVitae, there are even more websites that help with cost comparisons for medical procedures like ultrasounds. For instance, Compare.com is a website that stores pricing data from all different types of medical service providers. To use this website, simply put the type of ultrasound that you will be getting and your home zip code into where the information is requested on this website.
There are also other great ways to save money on an ultrasound. Some people recommend going to imaging centers nearby if possible, as when a patient pays out of pocket at these locations, imaging centers will often end up being the cheapest choices available.
If you have health insurance, go to an in-network facility in this case. You could also upgrade your insurance plan if possible. Doing so will help reduce the cost of an ultrasound if you will have to undergo multiple ultrasounds in the near future, as this course of action may allow you to have a lower deductible and increase the network of doctors that you can use.
If you want to save money on an ultrasound, contact your local clinic or hospital and determine whether or not they can offer any discounts to you. Some hospitals and clinics offer discounts if you pay for the ultrasound in cash or if you pay the entire cost at once. You might be able to negotiate the cost of an ultrasound if you don’t have insurance, but try to do so before you have the ultrasound done.
If you can’t afford to pay for an ultrasound, even if you have insurance, but it is medically necessary, contact local charities and religious organizations. They may be able to pay for part of the cost, although they will likely ask about your financial information and why the ultrasound is medically necessary.
Overall, ultrasounds can be quite cheap but can also be extremely expensive. Ultrasounds that are complicated will likely be more expensive than simple ultrasounds, which is one of the reasons why ultrasounds that monitor unborn babies are so expensive.
Now that you know an estimate of how much it will cost for you to have an ultrasound done, contact your medical provider and ask them exactly how much it will cost so you can budget for the cost. If you contact your medical provider before having an ultrasound done, they might be able to lower the cost if you tell them that you are worried about how much it will cost. However, each medical provider is different, and they might not be able to negotiate the price with you.
No Insurance?
When it comes to your healthcare, most people think that their only options are to pay for expensive Health Insurance or try out your luck being uninsured.
The great news is that you have a third option; You can join a Health Share plan that is affordable and meets your needs! Health Sharing programs are one of the most effective and affordable alternatives to Health Insurance.
If you don’t know what a Health Share is, you can start here to learn how it works and why it’s a great alternative to health insurance. If you are looking for affordable healthcare, I highly recommend checking out my article about the Best Health Share Plans.
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