Pretreat rbc density gradient separation reference at HCA HOUSTON MEDICAL CENTER

1313 Hermann Dr, Houston, TX · HCA Houston Healthcare · · NPI 1073043592

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

$422.02

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.

$422.02

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.

$25.32 with Superior Health Plan vs $457.76 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 CHIP $25.32 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $25.32 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STARKids $25.32 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan STAR $25.32 ↓ -94%
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $25.32 ↓ -94%
Community Health Choice MCD STAR+PLUS $54.86 ↓ -87%
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $54.86 ↓ -87%
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $54.86 ↓ -87%
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $54.86 ↓ -87%
United OptionsPPO $70.90 ↓ -83%
Oscar HIX $82.29 ↓ -81%
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $107.62 ↓ -74%
Evry Health BroadNetwork $115.21 ↓ -73%
BCBS Traditional $147.71 ↓ -65%
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $149.16 ↓ -65%
United AllPayerAppendix $149.16 ↓ -65%
United SmallGroup $149.16 ↓ -65%
Aetna QHPExchange $155.25 ↓ -63%
Cigna CSN $164.50 ↓ -61%
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $168.81 ↓ -60%
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $178.17 ↓ -58%
United GlobalAppendix $189.91 ↓ -55%
Aetna NBHMO $206.47 ↓ -51%
Aetna NBPPO $206.47 ↓ -51%
Aetna NBPOS $206.47 ↓ -51%
Cigna PPO $211.98 ↓ -50%
Aetna COMMHMO $219.35 ↓ -48%
Aetna COMMPPO $219.35 ↓ -48%
Aetna COMMPOS $219.35 ↓ -48%
Coventry National First Health COMM $224.94 ↓ -47%
Aetna OONPOS $257.68 ↓ -39%
Aetna OONPPO $257.68 ↓ -39%
Aetna OONHMO $257.68 ↓ -39%
Aetna ASAPPO $278.62 ↓ -34%
Aetna ASAHMO $278.62 ↓ -34%
Aetna ASAPOS $278.62 ↓ -34%
BCBS MyBlueHealth $289.87 ↓ -31%
BCBS BAV $320.00 ↓ -24%
BCBS HMO $400.37 ↓ -5%
BCBS EPOSOA $429.07 ↑ +2%
Humana HMO $438.43 ↑ +4%
Humana PPO $438.43 ↑ +4%
BCBS PPO $457.76 ↑ +8%
Curative Administrators COMM not published by hospital

Visitor-reported prices

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Pretreat rbc density gradient separation reference at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Baylor St Luke's Medical Center Houston $237.30 $36.95 – $678.00
HCA HOUSTON WEST HOUSTON $205.00 $149.16 – $438.43
St. Luke's Health - The Vintage Hospital Houston $237.30 $98.32 – $678.00
HCA HOUSTON TOMBALL HOUSTON not published $149.16 – $438.43
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $47.73 $10.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $196.70 $12.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $182.31 $12.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $47.73 $10.00 – $423.12

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →