Contrast exam thoracic aorta at HCA HOUSTON KINGWOOD

5324 ATASCOCITA RD, HUMBLE, TX · HCA Houston Healthcare · · NPI 1811942238

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.

$179.12 with Texas Health Network vs $10,115.17 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
Texas Health Network MCD $179.12
Texas Childrens Health Plans STARKIDS $182.78
Amerigroup MCDCHIPBH $182.78
Amerigroup MGMCD $182.78
Texas Childrens Health Plans STAR $182.78
Community Health Choice MCD STAR+PLUS $185.11
Community Health Choice MCD CHIPPerinatal $185.11
Community Health Choice MCD STAR $185.11
Community Health Choice MCD CHIP $185.11
United MGMCD $188.81
Aetna Better Health MGMCD $199.92
Molina Healthcare STARKIDS $201.06
Molina Healthcare STARPLUS $201.06
Molina Healthcare STAR $201.06
Molina Healthcare CHIP $201.06
Humana MCD $228.47
Superior Health Plan STAR $433.60
Superior Health Plan STARPLUS $433.60
Superior Health Plan CHIP $433.60
Superior Health Plan CHPFC $433.60
Superior Health Plan STARKids $433.60
Cigna CSN $586.91
Cigna OpenAccessPlus $635.17
Cigna PPO $755.05
Aetna QHPExchange $985.39
Texas Childrens Health Plans CHIP $1,199.62
United OptionsPPO $1,214.07
Aetna NBPPO $1,309.68
Aetna NBPOS $1,309.68
Aetna NBHMO $1,309.68
Aetna COMMPPO $1,393.19
Aetna COMMPOS $1,393.19
Aetna COMMHMO $1,393.19
Aetna OONHMO $1,638.15
Aetna OONPOS $1,638.15
Aetna OONPPO $1,638.15
Aetna ASAHMO $1,770.37
Aetna ASAPOS $1,770.37
Aetna ASAPPO $1,770.37
Healthcare Highways NarrowNetwork $1,842.79
Evry Health BroadNetwork $1,972.87
BCBS Traditional $2,529.32
Imagine Health PPO $2,529.32
Kelsey Care (Boon-Chapman) COMM $2,529.32
Curative Administrators COMM $2,890.65
Christus (USFHP) TRICARE $2,890.65
Humana PPO $3,093.22
Humana HMO $3,093.22
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCEL $3,107.45
United GlobalAppendix $3,251.98
Averde Health Commercial $3,251.98
Fidelis SecureCare of TX MGMCR $3,251.98
Coventry National First Health COMM $3,851.79
Physicians Cooperative of Texas WC $3,974.64
Rockport Workers Comp COMM $3,974.64
National Healthcare Solutions COMM $4,335.97
Independent Medical System COMM $4,335.97
SouthWest Medical WORKERSCOMP $4,335.97
Coastal Comp COMM $4,697.30
BCBS MyBlueHealth $4,877.45
Multiplan PHCSPrimaryNetwork $5,419.97
United NarrowNetworkIndivExchange $5,437.15
HealthSmart Preferred Care PPO $5,925.83
HealthSmart Preferred Care ACCOUNTABLEPPO $6,142.63
Physicians, INC COMM $6,142.63
Multiplan ComplementaryNetwork $6,142.63
USA Managed Care COMM $6,142.63
BCBS BAV $6,179.95
United SmallGroup $6,438.74
United AllPayerAppendix $6,438.74
Affiliated PPO COMM $6,503.96
BCBS HMO $9,422.35
BCBS EPOSOA $9,782.62
BCBS PPO $10,115.17

Visitor-reported prices

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Contrast exam thoracic aorta at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
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
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $3,570.00 $182.78 – $7,896.23
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - COLLEGE STATION College Station $3,748.50 $195.57 – $7,896.23
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CONTINUING CARE HOSPITAL Temple $3,748.50 $182.78 – $7,896.23
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTER - CEDAR PARK Cedar Park $6,446.54 $182.78 – $9,669.81
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE ALL SAINTS MEDICAL CENTER - FORT WORTH Fort Worth $3,570.00 $182.78 – $7,896.23

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →