DEXA bone density scan cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 9 hospitals list a cash price for DEXA bone density scan of the hip, pelvis or spine as an inpatient: from $473.20 to $884.25, with a median of $646.50. The lowest listed price is at Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos and 2 other hospitals — $173.30 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $504.00 at 83 hospitals.
Cash prices at 9 facilities across 5 cities for code 77080, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos lowest San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 DXA BONE DENSITY STUDY 1/> SITES AXIAL SKEL | $473.20 | $910.00 | $96.00–$285.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion lowest San Diego, CA DXA BONE DENSITY STUDY 1/> SITES AXIAL SKEL | $473.20 | $910.00 | $96.00–$285.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa lowest San Diego, CA DXA BONE DENSITY STUDY 1/> SITES AXIAL SKEL | $473.20 | $910.00 | $96.00–$285.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC DXA BONE DENSITY AXIAL - XR BONE DENSITY WITH SPECT LUMBAR | $646.50 | $862.00 | $256.01–$3,399.33 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC DXA BONE DENSITY AXIAL - XR BONE DENSITY WITH SPECT LUMBAR | $646.50 | $862.00 | $129.30–$844.76 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC DXA BONE DENSITY AXIAL - XR BONE DENSITY WITH SPECT LUMBAR | $646.50 | $862.00 | $129.30–$844.76 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC DXA BONE DENSITY AXIAL - XR BONE DENSITY WITH SPECT LUMBAR | $646.50 | $862.00 | $129.30–$22,634.00 | 25% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Bone Density Measurement Spine Or Hips Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $721.05 | $1,311.00 | $32.98–$1,769.85 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Dexa Axial Skeleton 1 Or More Sites | $884.25 | $1,179.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $473.20, median $646.50, highest $884.25 — a 1.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 10 facilities here, median $646.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 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 none is it 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
A DEXA scan uses a very low dose of X-rays to measure bone density, usually at the hip and lower spine. It is used to check for osteoporosis and to judge the risk of fracture, and is commonly done for women over 65 and others at higher risk.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the scan and the report of bone density scores. The physician's interpretation may be billed separately, and adding a spine fracture check (vertebral fracture assessment) uses a different code.