Contrast exam thoracic aorta at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital
18220 Tomball Parkway, Houston, TX · Houstonmethodist · · NPI 1871619254
$2,621.50
Cash price 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.
?
What you pay up front if you don't use insurance.
$5,243.00
Gross charge 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.
?
The hospital's undiscounted list price — almost no one pays this.
$577.53 with Aetna vs $10,974.27 with Bcbs — same scan, same building. Share
Negotiated rates by payer
?
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 →
?
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 ?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 ?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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | New Business Discount Other Commercial Plan | $577.53 | ↓ -78% |
| Aetna | Hmo/Pos/Ppo | $595.11 | ↓ -77% |
| Bcbs | Medicare Managed Care - Hmo | $3,171.87 | ↑ +21% |
| Aetna | Medicare Managed Care - Hmo/Ppo | $3,219.45 | ↑ +23% |
| Unitedhealthcare | Medicare Managed Care - Hmo | $3,235.31 | ↑ +23% |
| Cigna | Texas Healthspring Medicare Managed Care - Hmo/Ppo | $3,267.03 | ↑ +25% |
| Molina Healthcare | Advantage Medicare Managed Care Plan | $3,330.46 | ↑ +27% |
| Community Health Choice | D-Snp Medicare Managed Care - Hmo | $3,393.90 | ↑ +29% |
| Procare Advantage | Medicare Managed Care - Hmo | $3,489.06 | ↑ +33% |
| Cigna | Local Plus/Surefit Hmo/Ppo | $4,259.00 | ↑ +62% |
| Cigna | Network C-24 Hmo/Ppo | $4,259.25 | ↑ +62% |
| Cigna | Pcp Optional/Pcp Required Benefit Plans Hmo | $4,508.91 | ↑ +72% |
| Community Health Choice | Silver & Gold Exchange | $5,170.15 | ↑ +97% |
| Optum Health | Transplant Medicare Managed Care Plan | $6,185.14 | ↑ +136% |
| Molina Healthcare | Exchange | $6,343.74 | ↑ +142% |
| Bcbs | All Commercial Plans | $10,974.27 | ↑ +319% |
Visitor-reported prices
Comments
Contrast exam thoracic aorta at other Texas hospitals
| Hospital | City | Cash price | Negotiated range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Methodist West Hospital | Houston | $2,621.50 | $577.53 – $12,687.48 |
| HCA HOUSTON MEDICAL CENTER | Houston | not published | $185.11 – $4,877.45 |
| HCA HOUSTON WEST | HOUSTON | not published | $179.12 – $4,877.45 |
| HCA HOUSTON TOMBALL | HOUSTON | not published | $182.78 – $4,877.45 |
| Houston Methodist Hospital | Houston | not published | $609.77 – $12,687.48 |
| BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | Dallas | $3,570.00 | $182.78 – $7,896.23 |
| BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM | Brenham | $3,748.50 | $771.57 – $7,896.23 |
| BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA | Suite 110 | $6,446.54 | $182.78 – $8,058.17 |