Shock wave lithotripsy cost in New Orleans, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for shock-wave lithotripsy to break up kidney stones (from outside the body): from $1,507.36 to $3,525.92, with a median of $2,866.78. The lowest listed price is at New Orleans East Hospital — $1,359.42 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $2,866.78 at 11 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 3 cities for code 50590, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jun 24, 2026 and Jul 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans East Hospital lowest New Orleans, LA · (504) 592-6600 Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $1,507.36 | $9,421.00 | $3,176.76–$9,421.00 | 84% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $2,240.73 | $8,299.00 | $13,981.00–$8,299.00 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $2,728.18 | $19,487.00 | $1,000.00–$9,059.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $2,866.78 | $20,477.00 | $10,033.73–$8,770.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $2,866.78 | $20,477.00 | $10,033.73–$8,770.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $2,866.78 | $20,477.00 | $10,033.73–$8,770.00 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| University Med Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $3,104.86 | $14,113.00 | $1,238.87–$7,987.96 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Shock Wave Crushing of Kidney Stones | $3,525.92 | $22,037.00 | $1,238.87–$8,704.62 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $1,507.36, median $2,866.78, highest $3,525.92 — a 2.3× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 8 of 8 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 5 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
Shock-wave lithotripsy breaks kidney or ureter stones into small pieces with sound waves aimed from outside the body, so the pieces can pass in the urine. No cut is made, and it is usually done under sedation or anesthesia.
What the price covers
The listed price usually covers the lithotripsy treatment in the facility. The urologist, anesthesia, X-rays and any stent placement are often billed separately; some hospitals rent the machine from an outside company, which can change how the charge is listed.