Eye exam, new patient cost in Chicago, IL
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 14 hospitals list a cash price for comprehensive eye exam by an eye doctor, new patient: from $46.74 to $306.00, with a median of $132.00. The lowest listed price is at MacNeal Hospital and 1 other hospital — $85.26 less than the median here. Across Illinois, the median is $132.00 at 19 hospitals.
- The median here, $132.00, is 30% below the US median of $188.51.
- That is about the same as Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($136.02).
- 5 of 14 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Cash prices at 14 facilities across 9 cities for code 92004, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Nov 10, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2025 and Nov 5, 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacNeal Hospital lowest Berwyn, IL · (708) 783-9100 Ophthal Exam Comp New Pt W Gross Vis Fld File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $46.74 | $246.00 | $46.74–$340.71 | 81% |
| Gottlieb Memorial Hospital lowest Melrose Park, IL · (708) 681-3200 Ophthal Exam Comp New Pt W Gross Vis Fld File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $46.74 | $246.00 | $124.93–$360.29 | 81% |
| Loyola University Medical Center Maywood, IL · (708) 216-9000 Ophthal Exam Comp New Pt W Gross Vis Fld File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $56.58 | $246.00 | $107.99–$259.28 | 77% |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Glenbrook Hospital Glenview, IL Ophthalmological New/Pt Comprehensive File of Jan 1, 2025 · source file | $81.25 | $125.00 | $16.88–$68.25 | 35% |
| NorthShore University HealthSystems Skokie Hospital Skokie, IL Ophthalmological New/Pt Comprehensive File of Jan 1, 2025 · source file | $81.25 | $125.00 | $16.88–$68.25 | 35% |
| Loretto Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 626-4300 COMPRE OPH EXAM NEW PT 1/> File of Nov 5, 2026 · source file | $98.56 | $164.27 | $98.56–$318.32 | 40% |
| Endeavor Health Highland Park Hospital Highland Park, IL OPHTHALMOLOGICAL, NEW/PT, COMPREHENSIVE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $132.00 | $132.00 | — | — |
| Swedish Covenant Health Chicago, IL · (773) 878-8200 OPHTHALMOLOGICAL, NEW/PT, COMPREHENSIVE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $132.00 | $132.00 | — | — |
| Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospital Evanston, IL · (847) 570-2000 OPHTHALMOLOGICAL, NEW/PT, COMPREHENSIVE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $132.00 | $132.00 | — | — |
| John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital Chicago, IL · (312) 864-6000 PF-EYE EXAM NEW COMPREHEN File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $140.70 | $201.00 | $45.82–$178.17 | 30% |
| Humboldt Park Health Chicago, IL · (773) 292-8200 New patient complete exam of visual system File of Sep 29, 2026 · source file | $143.18 | $511.35 | $168.75–$536.92 | 72% |
| Loretto Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 626-4300 PF EYE EXAM NEW COMPREHENSIVE File of Nov 5, 2026 · source file | $149.43 | $249.05 | $98.56–$318.32 | 40% |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago, IL · (312) 227-4000 H OPHTH MEDICAL XM&EVAL COMPRE NEW PT 1/> VST File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $175.00 | $250.00 | $42.50–$936.00 | 30% |
| Loretto Hospital Chicago, IL · (773) 626-4300 NEW OPTHALOMOLOGY PT-COMPREHEN File of Nov 5, 2026 · source file | $190.99 | $318.32 | $98.56–$318.32 | 40% |
| John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital Chicago, IL · (312) 864-6000 EYE EXAM NEW COMPREHENSIVE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $238.70 | $341.00 | $45.82–$272.80 | 30% |
| Ingalls Memorial Hospital Harvey, IL · (708) 333-2300 Hc Ophth Srvcs; Med Exm & Eval W/ Inititatn Of Diag & Tx Prog; Comprhnsve, New Pt, 1 Or More Visits File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $297.00 | $297.00 | — | — |
| The University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago, IL · (773) 702-9785 Hc Ophth Srvcs; Med Exm & Eval W/ Inititatn Of Diag & Tx Prog; Comprhnsve, New Pt, 1 Or More Visits- File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $306.00 | $306.00 | — | — |
Outpatient: lowest $46.74, median $132.00, highest $306.00 — a 6.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 9 facilities here, median $132.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 7 of 9 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 3 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 eye exam, new patient is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Eye exam, new patient explained.