Breast MRI, both breasts cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for MRI of both breasts, without and then with contrast dye as an inpatient: from $4,844.95 to $4,844.95, with a median of $4,844.95. Across California, the median is $2,437.65 at 16 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 5 cities for code 77049, 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC San Diego Medical Center lowest San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 MRI Scan of Both Breasts Before and After Contrast | $4,844.95 | $8,809.00 | $337.84–$4,404.50 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion both sides San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 MRI BREAST WITHOUT&WITH CONTRAST W/CAD BILATERAL | $1,196.00 | $2,300.00 | $335.00–$995.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa both sides San Diego, CA MRI BREAST WITHOUT&WITH CONTRAST W/CAD BILATERAL | $1,196.00 | $2,300.00 | $335.00–$995.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos both sides San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 MRI BREAST WITHOUT&WITH CONTRAST W/CAD BILATERAL | $1,196.00 | $2,300.00 | $335.00–$995.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center both sides Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC MRI BREAST BI/CAD W/WO CO | $3,663.75 | $4,885.00 | $683.90–$4,396.50 | 25% | — source file |
| Grossmont Hospital both sides La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC MRI BREAST BI/CAD W/WO CO | $3,663.75 | $4,885.00 | $732.75–$3,908.00 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center both sides Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC MRI BREAST BI/CAD W/WO CO | $3,663.75 | $4,885.00 | $12.16–$4,396.50 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital both sides San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC MRI BREAST BI/CAD W/WO CO | $3,663.75 | $4,885.00 | $725.00–$4,005.70 | 25% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center both sides San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Mri Scan Of Breasts Bilateral Before And After Contrast | $4,844.95 | $8,809.00 | $337.84–$11,892.15 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $4,844.95, median $4,844.95, highest $4,844.95.
Both sides : lowest $1,196.00, median $3,663.75, highest $4,844.95 — a 4.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $4,844.95 — 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 not below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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
A breast MRI takes pictures of both breasts before and after contrast dye is injected into a vein, and the code includes computer-aided analysis of the images. It is used to screen women at high risk of breast cancer and to check the extent of a cancer that has already been found.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the imaging of both breasts and the computer analysis; the contrast agent may appear as a separate line. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.