X-ray skull < 4 views 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

not published by hospital

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.

not published by hospital

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.

$36.09 with Community Health Choice MCD vs $433.75 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
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $36.09
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $36.09
Community Health Choice MCD STAR+PLUS $36.09
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $36.09
United MGMCD $36.81
Aetna Better Health MGMCD $38.98
Molina Healthcare CHIP $39.70
Molina Healthcare STAR $39.70
Molina Healthcare STARKIDS $39.70
Molina Healthcare STARPLUS $39.70
Humana MCD $45.11
Superior Health Plan STARKids $48.05
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $48.05
Superior Health Plan STAR $48.05
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $48.05
Superior Health Plan CHIP $48.05
Cigna CSN $99.26
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $107.43
Cigna PPO $127.70
United OptionsPPO $134.54
Aetna QHPExchange $161.07
BCBS MyBlueHealth $197.26
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $204.21
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $207.04
Aetna NBHMO $214.08
Aetna NBPPO $214.08
Aetna NBPOS $214.08
Evry Health BroadNetwork $218.63
Aetna COMMHMO $227.73
Aetna COMMPPO $227.73
Aetna COMMPOS $227.73
United AllPayerAppendix $245.18
United SmallGroup $245.18
BCBS BAV $249.94
Aetna OONHMO $267.77
Aetna OONPPO $267.77
Aetna OONPOS $267.77
BCBS Traditional $280.29
Aetna ASAPPO $289.38
Aetna ASAPOS $289.38
Aetna ASAHMO $289.38
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $320.34
Curative Administrators COMM $320.34
United GlobalAppendix $360.38
BCBS HMO $381.07
BCBS EPOSOA $407.97
Humana PPO $415.29
Humana HMO $415.29
Coventry National First Health COMM $426.85
BCBS PPO $433.75

Visitor-reported prices

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X-ray skull < 4 views at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Baylor St Luke's Medical Center Houston $407.05 $36.09 – $1,163.00
St. Luke's Health - The Vintage Hospital Houston $407.05 $36.09 – $1,163.00
HCA HOUSTON WEST HOUSTON not published $35.37 – $197.26
HCA HOUSTON TOMBALL HOUSTON not published $36.09 – $197.26
Adventhealth Rollins Brook Lampasas $615.53 $431.51 – $431.51
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $277.54 $36.09 – $346.92
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $309.63 $63.73 – $464.44
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $312.96 $36.09 – $391.20

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →