Peripheral bone density scan cost in New Orleans, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 7 hospitals list a cash price for DEXA bone density scan of the wrist, heel or finger (peripheral): from $31.92 to $177.66, with a median of $58.66. The lowest listed price is at Touro Infirmary — $26.74 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $58.66 at 11 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 3 cities for code 77081, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Touro Infirmary lowest New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 Bone Density Measurement Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $31.92 | $228.00 | $102.60–$98.23 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| University Med Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 Bone Density Measurement Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $58.30 | $265.00 | $102.68–$96.30 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA Bone Density Measurement Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $58.66 | $419.00 | $100.14–$91.42 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA Bone Density Measurement Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $58.66 | $419.00 | $100.14–$91.42 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Bone Density Measurement Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $58.66 | $419.00 | $100.14–$91.42 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Bone Density Measurement Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $104.96 | $656.00 | $100.00–$89.78 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 Bone Density Measurement Using Dedicated X-Ray Machine | $177.66 | $658.00 | $129.50–$77.19 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $31.92, median $58.66, highest $177.66 — a 5.6× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 7 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
This code covers a bone density test of the wrist, heel or finger, used for screening when a hip and spine scan is not available.
What the price covers
The price covers the scan and the reading.