Consultation pathology during surgery cytological exam initial site at HCA HOUSTON TOMBALL

5003 CYPRESS CREEK PKWY, HOUSTON, TX · HCA Houston Healthcare · · NPI 1750819025

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.

$21.55 with Superior Health Plan vs $2,003.96 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 $21.55
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $21.55
Superior Health Plan STARKids $21.55
Superior Health Plan STAR $21.55
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $21.55
Community Health Choice MCD STAR+PLUS $46.70
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $46.70
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $46.70
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $46.70
United OptionsPPO $60.35
Oscar HIX $70.04
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $91.60
Evry Health BroadNetwork $98.06
Aetna QHPExchange $123.78
BCBS Traditional $125.72
Coventry National First Health COMM $130.75
Cigna CSN $133.54
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $143.68
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $144.64
United GlobalAppendix $161.64
Aetna NBHMO $164.61
Aetna NBPOS $164.61
Aetna NBPPO $164.61
Cigna PPO $172.09
Aetna COMMPOS $174.88
Aetna COMMPPO $174.88
Aetna COMMHMO $174.88
Aetna OONPOS $205.44
Aetna OONPPO $205.44
Aetna OONHMO $205.44
Aetna ASAPPO $222.13
Aetna ASAHMO $222.13
Aetna ASAPOS $222.13
Humana PPO $255.14
Humana HMO $255.14
United AllPayerAppendix $656.15
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $656.15
United SmallGroup $656.15
BCBS MyBlueHealth $1,268.96
BCBS BAV $1,400.89
BCBS HMO $1,752.68
BCBS EPOSOA $1,878.32
BCBS PPO $2,003.96
Curative Administrators COMM not published by hospital

Visitor-reported prices

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Consultation pathology during surgery cytological exam initial site at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Baylor St Luke's Medical Center Houston $848.75 $42.08 – $2,425.00
HCA HOUSTON WEST HOUSTON $1,081.00 $123.78 – $1,268.96
St. Luke's Health - The Vintage Hospital Houston $848.75 $78.37 – $2,425.00
HCA HOUSTON MEDICAL CENTER Houston not published $123.78 – $1,268.96
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $461.95 $35.00 – $2,130.15
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $519.69 $36.00 – $2,130.15
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $519.69 $36.00 – $2,130.15
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $461.95 $35.00 – $2,130.15

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →