X-ray thoracolumbar spine including skull cervical & sacral spine 1 view 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.

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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.

$42.78 with Community Health Choice MCD vs $440.13 with Humana — 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 STAR+PLUS $42.78
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $42.78
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $42.78
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $42.78
Superior Health Plan STAR $43.30
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $43.30
Superior Health Plan STARKids $43.30
Superior Health Plan CHIP $43.30
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $43.30
United MGMCD $43.64
Aetna Better Health MGMCD $46.20
Molina Healthcare STAR $47.06
Molina Healthcare CHIP $47.06
Molina Healthcare STARPLUS $47.06
Molina Healthcare STARKIDS $47.06
Humana MCD $53.48
Cigna CSN $110.20
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $119.26
United OptionsPPO $121.24
BCBS MyBlueHealth $140.47
Cigna PPO $141.77
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $153.71
BCBS BAV $177.98
Aetna QHPExchange $178.98
United AllPayerAppendix $182.03
United SmallGroup $182.03
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $184.02
Evry Health BroadNetwork $197.01
Aetna NBHMO $237.88
Aetna NBPPO $237.88
Aetna NBPOS $237.88
BCBS Traditional $252.58
Aetna COMMHMO $253.05
Aetna COMMPPO $253.05
Aetna COMMPOS $253.05
BCBS HMO $271.35
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $288.66
Curative Administrators COMM $288.66
BCBS EPOSOA $290.51
Aetna OONPPO $297.55
Aetna OONPOS $297.55
Aetna OONHMO $297.55
BCBS PPO $308.86
Aetna ASAPPO $321.56
Aetna ASAHMO $321.56
Aetna ASAPOS $321.56
United GlobalAppendix $324.75
Coventry National First Health COMM $384.64
Humana PPO $440.13
Humana HMO $440.13

Visitor-reported prices

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X-ray thoracolumbar spine including skull cervical & sacral spine 1 view at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Baylor St Luke's Medical Center Houston $503.65 $42.78 – $1,439.00
St. Luke's Health - The Vintage Hospital Houston $503.65 $42.78 – $1,439.00
HCA HOUSTON TOMBALL HOUSTON $902.23 $42.78 – $178.98
HCA HOUSTON WEST HOUSTON not published $41.92 – $178.98
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $187.70 $42.78 – $234.62
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $162.11 $33.37 – $243.17
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $317.59 $42.78 – $396.99
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $187.70 $42.78 – $234.62

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →