Breast biopsy, stereotactic cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 5 hospitals list a cash price for breast needle biopsy guided by mammogram (stereotactic), with marker clip, first lesion as an inpatient: from $1,101.65 to $5,944.95, with a median of $4,342.00. The lowest listed price is at Tri-City Medical Center — $3,240.35 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $4,342.00 at 72 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 3 cities for code 19081, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and May 29, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tri-City Medical Center lowest Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 CITY BX BRST PLCMT DEV 1ST STRTCTC | $1,101.65 | $1,836.09 | $1,285.26–$1,430.31 | 40% | May 29, 2026 source file |
| Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 CITY MG BREAST BX W/NEDLE LOC 1ST LESION | $2,035.64 | $3,392.73 | $2,374.91–$2,642.94 | 40% | May 29, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 BX BREAST W/DEVICE 1ST LESION STEREOTACTIC GUID | $4,342.00 | $8,350.00 | $1,607.00–$4,781.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA BX BREAST W/DEVICE 1ST LESION STEREOTACTIC GUID | $4,342.00 | $8,350.00 | $1,607.00–$4,781.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 BX BREAST W/DEVICE 1ST LESION STEREOTACTIC GUID | $4,342.00 | $8,350.00 | $1,607.00–$4,781.00 | 48% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Biopsy of breast accessed throught the skin with stereotactic guidance | $5,944.95 | $10,809.00 | $632.17–$14,592.15 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,101.65, median $4,342.00, highest $5,944.95 — a 5.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $4,342.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 5 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This code covers a breast needle biopsy guided by mammogram images, including placing a tiny marker clip at the biopsy site.
What the price covers
The price covers the biopsy, imaging guidance and marker clip. The lab exam of the tissue is billed separately.