Contrast x-ray of elbow at HCA HOUSTON CLEAR LAKE

225 E PARKWOOD AVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TX · HCA Houston Healthcare · · NPI 1063466035

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Mar 1, 2026 · Ingested Sep 10, 2026

$520.21

Cash price

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Discounted cash price

What a hospital charges a self-pay patient who pays directly, without going through insurance — usually well below the gross charge.

Example: A CT scan has a $3,200 gross charge but an $850 discounted cash price. Ask for it by name when scheduling — hospitals don't always advertise it up front.

Full explanation →

What you pay up front if you don't use insurance.

$520.21

Gross charge

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Gross charge (chargemaster price)

The hospital's full, undiscounted list price — pulled from its internal "chargemaster" price list. Almost no one actually pays this.

Example: A chest X-ray has a gross charge of $1,450. The same hospital's discounted cash price for the same X-ray is $180 — the gross charge mostly anchors negotiations, not what patients pay.

Full explanation →

The hospital's undiscounted list price — almost no one pays this.

$31.21 with Superior Health Plan vs $1,393.75 with BCBS — same scan, same building. Share

Negotiated rates by payer
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Negotiated rate

The price a specific insurance plan agreed to pay the hospital for a service — it varies by insurer, and even by plan within the same insurer.

Example: The same knee MRI has a negotiated rate of $904 with one insurer's PPO plan and $1,509 with another's — identical hospital, identical scan.

Full explanation →

Payer
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Payer

The insurance company footing the bill — Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and so on.

Example: "Blue Cross Blue Shield" is the payer. Its negotiated rate for an MRI might be $904, while a different payer's negotiated rate for the same scan is $1,509.

Full explanation →
Plan
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Plan

The specific product an insurer sells — e.g. "Blue Cross PPO 500" — which sets your deductible, coinsurance and negotiated rates.

Example: Two people both insured by Aetna can owe very different amounts for the same MRI: $50 with an HMO plan's flat copay, or the full $1,200 toward a high-deductible PPO plan's unmet deductible.

Full explanation →
Negotiated rate vs. cash
Superior Health Plan STARKids $31.21 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $31.21 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan CHIP $31.21 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $31.21 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STAR $31.21 ↓ -94%
Texas Childrens Health Plans CHIP $86.35 ↓ -83%
United OptionsPPO $91.56 ↓ -82%
Texas Health Network MCD $98.24 ↓ -81%
Amerigroup MGMCD $100.24 ↓ -81%
Texas Childrens Health Plans STAR $100.24 ↓ -81%
Texas Childrens Health Plans STARKIDS $100.24 ↓ -81%
Amerigroup MCDCHIPBH $100.24 ↓ -81%
UTMB MGMCD $100.24 ↓ -81%
Molina Healthcare STARPLUS $110.26 ↓ -79%
Molina Healthcare CHIP $110.26 ↓ -79%
Molina Healthcare STAR $110.26 ↓ -79%
Molina Healthcare STARKIDS $110.26 ↓ -79%
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $112.26 ↓ -78%
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $112.26 ↓ -78%
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $112.26 ↓ -78%
Community Health Choice MCD STAR+PLUS $112.26 ↓ -78%
United MGMCD $114.51 ↓ -78%
Aetna Better Health MGMCD $121.24 ↓ -77%
Texas Workforce Commission WCOMP $124.85 ↓ -76%
Humana MCD $125.30 ↓ -76%
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $132.65 ↓ -75%
Evry Health BroadNetwork $142.02 ↓ -73%
BCBS Traditional $182.07 ↓ -65%
Imagine Health PPO $182.07 ↓ -65%
Kelsey Care (Boon-Chapman) COMM $182.07 ↓ -65%
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $208.08 ↓ -60%
Curative Administrators COMM $208.08 ↓ -60%
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCEL $223.69 ↓ -57%
Averde Health Commercial $234.09 ↓ -55%
United GlobalAppendix $234.09 ↓ -55%
Fidelis SecureCare of TX MGMCR $234.09 ↓ -55%
Multiplan SAVILITYNETWORK $260.11 ↓ -50%
Coventry National First Health COMM $277.27 ↓ -47%
Rockport Workers Comp COMM $286.12 ↓ -45%
Physicians Cooperative of Texas WC $286.12 ↓ -45%
Cigna CSN $309.25 ↓ -41%
Independent Medical System COMM $312.13 ↓ -40%
National Healthcare Solutions COMM $312.13 ↓ -40%
Beech Street WCOMP $312.13 ↓ -40%
SouthWest Medical WORKERSCOMP $312.13 ↓ -40%
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $334.68 ↓ -36%
Coastal Comp COMM $338.14 ↓ -35%
Cigna PPO $397.85 ↓ -24%
Beech Street COMMPPO $416.17 ↓ -20%
HealthSmart Preferred Care PPO $426.57 ↓ -18%
Physicians, INC COMM $442.18 ↓ -15%
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCOUNTABLEPPO $442.18 ↓ -15%
Multiplan COMPLEMENTARYPPO $468.19 ↓ -10%
Affiliated PPO COMM $468.19 ↓ -10%
Aetna QHPExchange $515.64 ↓ -1%
BCBS MyBlueHealth $672.06 ↑ +29%
Aetna NBPPO $685.33 ↑ +32%
Aetna NBHMO $685.33 ↑ +32%
Aetna NBPOS $685.33 ↑ +32%
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $699.43 ↑ +34%
BCBS BAV $725.51 ↑ +39%
Aetna COMMPOS $729.03 ↑ +40%
Aetna COMMHMO $729.03 ↑ +40%
Aetna COMMPPO $729.03 ↑ +40%
United AllPayerAppendix $828.27 ↑ +59%
United SmallGroup $828.27 ↑ +59%
Aetna OONPOS $857.21 ↑ +65%
Aetna OONHMO $857.21 ↑ +65%
Aetna OONPPO $857.21 ↑ +65%
Aetna ASAPOS $926.40 ↑ +78%
Aetna ASAHMO $926.40 ↑ +78%
Aetna ASAPPO $926.40 ↑ +78%
Humana PPO $1,173.37 ↑ +126%
Humana HMO $1,173.37 ↑ +126%
BCBS HMO $1,298.29 ↑ +150%
BCBS EPOSOA $1,347.93 ↑ +159%
BCBS PPO $1,393.75 ↑ +168%

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Contrast x-ray of elbow at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $495.60 $100.24 – $952.69
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $960.60 $197.72 – $1,440.90
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $1,047.42 $100.24 – $1,309.28
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $495.60 $100.24 – $952.69
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - COLLEGE STATION College Station $960.60 $107.26 – $1,440.90
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CONTINUING CARE HOSPITAL Temple $960.60 $100.24 – $1,440.90
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTER - CEDAR PARK Cedar Park $1,047.42 $100.24 – $1,571.13
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE ALL SAINTS MEDICAL CENTER - FORT WORTH Fort Worth $495.60 $100.24 – $952.69

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →