Shock wave lithotripsy cost in Seattle, WA — inpatient
In Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for shock-wave lithotripsy to break up kidney stones (from outside the body) as an inpatient: from $8,546.07 to $12,372.00, with a median of $12,372.00. The lowest listed price is at Virginia Mason Medical Center — $3,825.93 less than the median here. Across Washington, the median is $6,748.32 at 7 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 50590, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Mason Medical Center lowest Seattle, WA · (206) 223-6600 *LITHOTRIPSY,EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK WAVE-FAC | $8,546.07 | $16,757.00 | $10,732.86–$13,405.60 | 49% | — source file |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center one side Seattle, WA · (206) 223-6600 ESWL-UNILATERAL | $8,546.07 | $16,757.00 | $10,732.86–$13,405.60 | 49% | — source file |
| Swedish Issaquah Issaquah, WA · (425) 313-4000 HC FRAGMENTING OF KIDNEY STONE | $12,372.00 | $25,775.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Swedish Medical Center / Cherry Hill Seattle, WA · (206) 320-2000 HC FRAGMENTING OF KIDNEY STONE | $12,372.00 | $25,775.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Swedish Medical Center / Cherry Hill Seattle, WA · (206) 320-2000 HC FRAGMENTING OF KIDNEY STONE | $12,372.00 | $25,775.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $8,546.07, median $12,372.00, highest $12,372.00 — a 1.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $6,748.32 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated and 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.