Know the cash price before you go.

Imaging tests such as X-rays, CT, MRI, ultrasound and mammograms make pictures of the inside of the body, and almost all of them need an order from a doctor or other licensed provider. A hospital's price for an imaging code usually covers taking the images, while the radiologist who reads them often sends a separate bill.

Lab tests measure things in a blood or urine sample, and the same test code means the same measurement at any lab, which makes them easy to compare. The listed price usually covers running the test itself; the blood draw and the visit where the test was ordered are typically billed on their own.

Surgery and procedure codes describe the main operation, but one surgery usually produces several bills: the hospital or surgery center, the surgeon, anesthesia, and often pathology or imaging. When comparing cash prices, ask whether a quote is a bundled package or only one of those pieces.

Visit codes cover office visits, specialist consultations, therapy sessions, preventive checkups and a few simple in-office tests, and many of them are based on time. When a visit takes place in a hospital-owned clinic, a separate hospital facility fee may be added to the clinician's own fee.

Vaccine codes describe the vaccine dose itself; giving the shot is a separate administration fee, usually 90471 for the first vaccine of a visit. Pharmacies and health departments give most routine vaccines and often charge less than hospitals, so a hospital's cash price is one point of comparison, not the only option.

Dental services use CDT codes from the American Dental Association rather than CPT codes, and most dental work is done in private dental offices rather than hospitals. Hospital prices for dental codes usually come from hospital dental clinics or dental school clinics, and one course of treatment often involves several separately billed codes.