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Cash prices California Outpatient

Bone density scan cost in California without insurance

In California, the median cash price for DEXA bone density scan is $504.00 across 157 hospitals, from $59.20 to $1,259.00. The lowest is at Eastern Plumas Health Care (Porola). The US median is $373.94.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

A bone density scan, also called a DEXA or DXA scan, measures bone strength with a very low dose of X-rays to check for osteoporosis. The standard scan of the hip and spine is code 77080. A scan of the wrist, heel or finger (77081) is a simpler version, sometimes offered at health fairs and pharmacies. Many insurers cover a scan only at certain ages or risk levels, so a self-pay price can be useful.

Collected Oct 25, 2026 One price per hospital: its lowest outpatient cash price for the code

Bone density scan prices in California by type

77080 is the central scan of the hip, pelvis or spine and is used in the state table. 77081 is a peripheral scan of the wrist, heel or finger. They are not interchangeable: doctors usually want the central scan to diagnose osteoporosis.

ProcedureHospitalsRangeMedianUS median
DEXA bone density scan DEXA bone density scan of the hip, pelvis or spine · code 77080 157 $59.20–$1,259.00 $504.00 $373.94
Peripheral bone density scan DEXA bone density scan of the wrist, heel or finger (peripheral) · code 77081 138 $49.96–$991.69 $276.64 $192.69
Procedure The service and its billing code (CPT or HCPCS). Opens the comparison of every hospital that prices it. More
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Middle 80% Cash prices of most hospitals: a tenth of hospitals charge less than the first number (P10), a tenth charge more than the second (P90). More
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
US median The median cash price across all US hospitals that publish one for this code.

Outpatient cash prices in California. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest cash price for the code; prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Pick a procedure to compare every hospital in the state.

Lowest DEXA bone density scan prices in California

Bone density scan cost by metro area in California

Bone density scan cost in other states

Paying cash: what to do

  • Ask whether the price includes the radiologist's report.
  • Imaging centers and women's health clinics often charge much less than hospitals for the same scan.
  • If you have a prior scan, ask for the same machine and site so the results can be compared over time.