Healthcare Price Checker
Know before you go. Look up a fair price range for a procedure or visit in your area, so a surprise bill never catches you off guard.
The Healthcare Price Checker shows a fair price range for a medical procedure or visit. Enter a procedure and you get a low-to-high range based on pricing data. Use it to check whether a quote is reasonable, shop for a lower-cost facility, or ask for the cash price. It is free and needs no sign-up.
How it works
Search by procedure. The tool returns a fair price range: a low end (what efficient, lower-cost providers charge) and a high end (what the most expensive local providers charge). You compare your own quote or bill against that range to see where it lands.
It returns a range rather than a single number on purpose. In the United States the same service has no fixed price, so a range tells you far more than any single figure.
Why prices vary so much
Three things move the price of the exact same service:
- Facility type. Hospitals usually charge much more than freestanding outpatient or imaging centers for identical procedures.
- Location. Prices vary widely by metro area and even by neighborhood.
- Insurance status. The billed price, the negotiated in-network price, and the cash price can all be different numbers.
The result is that one procedure can cost three to eight times more depending only on where you have it done. That gap is exactly what a price check is for.
Worked examples
A few common shoppable services, showing how much the setting alone changes the price. These are national reference figures; your local range may differ, which is what the tool shows you.
| Service | Lower-cost setting | Higher-cost setting |
|---|---|---|
| Colonoscopy (screening) | About $989 facility fee (ambulatory surgery center) | About $1,530 facility fee (hospital), roughly 55% higher |
| Knee MRI | About $560 (freestanding imaging center) | $1,570 or more (hospital); national median about $865 |
| Emergency room visit (non-life-threatening) | $970 or less (lower quarter of visits) | $3,043 or more (upper quarter); U.S. average about $2,453 |
Sources: colonoscopy facility fees, JAMA Health Forum, 2023 (nationwide mean commercial facility fees); knee MRI, Health Affairs Scholar, 2025 (national in-network negotiated commercial prices); emergency room, Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker (2019 large-employer claims). Look up your own area with FAIR Health Consumer.
How to use the result
- Sanity-check a quote or bill. If a price sits at or above the high end of the range, that is your cue to ask why or shop elsewhere.
- Ask for the cash or self-pay price. It is often lower than the billed amount, especially if you are uninsured or have not met your deductible.
- Look for an outpatient option. For imaging and many procedures, a freestanding center can cost a fraction of the hospital price for the same scan.
- Use it to negotiate. A documented fair range gives you a number to point to when you ask a provider to match it.
When it helps most
The Price Checker pays off most when the cost is on you, before insurance smooths it over:
- You are uninsured or paying cash.
- You have a high-deductible plan and have not met your deductible yet, so you pay the full negotiated price.
- The service is shoppable and not an emergency: imaging, lab work, planned procedures, and routine visits.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Healthcare Price Checker free?
Yes. The Price Checker is free to use and does not require an account or sign-up.
Why does it show a price range instead of one price?
There is no single price for a medical service in the United States. The same procedure can cost several times more at a hospital than at an outpatient center a few miles away, and prices vary by region. The tool shows a low-to-high range so you can see where a quote or bill falls.
Does the price include what my insurance will pay?
No. The range reflects the fair price for the service itself. What you actually pay depends on your plan: whether the provider is in-network, how much of your deductible you have met, and your coinsurance. See our guide on how health insurance costs work to estimate your share.
Can I use it if I do not have insurance?
Yes, and it is especially useful if you are uninsured or paying cash. You can compare a facility quote against the fair range and ask for the self-pay or cash price, which is often lower than the billed amount.
This tool is for education and planning, not a quote or medical advice.