X-ray esophogram chest radiograph(s) & delayed images single contrast study at HCA HOUSTON WEST

12141 RICHMOND AVENUE, HOUSTON, TX · HCA Houston Healthcare · · NPI 1275580938

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published May 14, 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.

$95.61 with Texas Health Network vs $3,782.70 with Affiliated PPO — 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
Texas Health Network MCD $95.61
Amerigroup MGMCD $97.56
Texas Childrens Health Plans STARKIDS $97.56
Texas Childrens Health Plans STAR $97.56
Amerigroup MCDCHIPBH $97.56
Community Health Choice MCD STAR+PLUS $99.90
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $99.90
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $99.90
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $99.90
United MGMCD $101.90
Molina Healthcare STARPLUS $107.32
Molina Healthcare STARKIDS $107.32
Molina Healthcare CHIP $107.32
Molina Healthcare STAR $107.32
Aetna Better Health MGMCD $107.89
Humana MCD $121.95
Superior Health Plan CHIP $252.18
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $252.18
Superior Health Plan STARKids $252.18
Superior Health Plan STAR $252.18
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $252.18
Cigna CSN $258.28
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $279.52
BCBS MyBlueHealth $320.71
Cigna PPO $332.27
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $339.25
BCBS BAV $346.22
United AllPayerAppendix $401.74
United SmallGroup $401.74
Aetna QHPExchange $429.97
Aetna NBHMO $571.47
Aetna NBPOS $571.47
Aetna NBPPO $571.47
Aetna COMMPOS $607.91
Aetna COMMPPO $607.91
Aetna COMMHMO $607.91
BCBS HMO $619.55
BCBS EPOSOA $643.24
BCBS PPO $665.10
Texas Childrens Health Plans CHIP $697.70
United OptionsPPO $706.10
Aetna OONPOS $714.79
Aetna OONPPO $714.79
Aetna OONHMO $714.79
Aetna ASAHMO $772.49
Aetna ASAPOS $772.49
Aetna ASAPPO $772.49
Texas Workforce Commission WCOMP $1,008.72
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $1,071.77
Humana PPO $1,142.27
Humana HMO $1,142.27
Evry Health BroadNetwork $1,147.42
Imagine Health PPO $1,471.05
BCBS Traditional $1,471.05
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $1,681.20
Curative Administrators COMM $1,681.20
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCEL $1,807.29
Fidelis SecureCare of TX MGMCR $1,891.35
Averde Health Commercial $1,891.35
United GlobalAppendix $1,891.35
Coventry National First Health COMM $2,240.20
Rockport Workers Comp COMM $2,311.65
Physicians Cooperative of Texas WC $2,311.65
Triumph COMM $2,521.80
Independent Medical System COMM $2,521.80
National Healthcare Solutions COMM $2,521.80
SouthWest Medical WORKERSCOMP $2,521.80
Coastal Comp COMM $2,731.95
Multiplan PHCSPrimaryNetwork $3,152.25
Cigna Behavioral Health COMMBH $3,362.40
HealthSmart Preferred Care PPO $3,446.46
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCOUNTABLEPPO $3,572.55
Multiplan ComplementaryNetwork $3,572.55
Physicians, INC COMM $3,572.55
Affiliated PPO COMM $3,782.70

Visitor-reported prices

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X-ray esophogram chest radiograph(s) & delayed images single contrast study at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Baylor St Luke's Medical Center Houston $1,021.30 $97.56 – $2,918.00
St. Luke's Health - The Vintage Hospital Houston $1,021.30 $97.56 – $2,918.00
HCA HOUSTON TOMBALL HOUSTON $3,989.02 $97.56 – $429.97
HCA HOUSTON MEDICAL CENTER Houston not published $99.90 – $429.97
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $501.34 $97.56 – $626.68
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $501.34 $103.19 – $752.01
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $501.34 $97.56 – $626.68
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $501.34 $97.56 – $626.68

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →