Shock wave lithotripsy cost in Houston, TX
In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 14 hospitals list a cash price for shock-wave lithotripsy to break up kidney stones (from outside the body): from $2,829.96 to $28,513.50, with a median of $25,155.00. The lowest listed price is at Harris Health and 1 other hospital — $22,325.04 less than the median here. Across Texas, the median is $7,136.51 at 102 hospitals.
- The median here, $25,155.00, is 237% above the US median of $7,462.00.
- Houston, TX ranks 2nd of 2 metro areas in Texas by median, cheapest first.
- Every hospital here lists a cash price below its full list price.
Cash prices at 14 facilities across 10 cities for code 50590, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 28, 2026 and Sep 1, 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Health lowest Taub Loop Houston, TX · (713) 873-2000 ECHG PROC LITHOTRIPSY, EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK WAVE File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $2,829.96 | $5,983.00 | $2,991.50 | 53% |
| Harris Health lowest Houston, TX · (713) 873-2000 ECHG PROC LITHOTRIPSY, EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK WAVE File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $2,829.96 | $5,983.00 | $2,991.50 | 53% |
| Hsa St. Joseph Houston, TX · (713) 757-1000 FRAGMENTING OF KIDNEY STONE File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $3,484.38 | — | $3,362.43–$4,957.46 | — |
| St Luke's Patients Medical Center Pasadena, TX · (281) 487-0700 LITHOTRIPSY (ESWL) File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $7,211.82 | $20,605.20 | $1,085.76–$30,902.00 | 65% |
| The Community Hospital of Brazosport Lake Jackson, TX · (979) 297-4411 ESWL+1 more line at this price File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $7,302.75 | $20,865.00 | $1,177.54–$10,432.50 | 65% |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX · (281) 333-5503 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX · (281) 477-1000 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX · (281) 420-8600 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX · (346) 618-1506 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 522-1000 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX · (281) 274-8000 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX · (936) 270-2000 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $25,155.00 | $50,310.00 | — | 50% |
| The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX · (713) 790-2221 HC LITHOTRIPSY EXTRCORP SHOCK WAV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $28,513.50 | $57,027.00 | — | 50% |
Outpatient: lowest $2,829.96, median $25,155.00, highest $28,513.50 — a 10.1× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 13 facilities here, median $25,155.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
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 2 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 shock wave lithotripsy is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Shock wave lithotripsy explained.