EKG tracing cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 10 hospitals list a cash price for electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), tracing only, the hospital charge as an inpatient: from $108.68 to $628.50, with a median of $338.00. The lowest listed price is at Tri-City Medical Center — $229.32 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $338.00 at 103 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 6 cities for code 93005, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and May 29, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tri-City Medical Center lowest Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 93005-ED EKG | $108.68 | $181.13 | $126.79–$141.10 | 40% | May 29, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrlj-Ekg Rhythm 12 Lead Trace | $123.00 | $164.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scren-Ek Rhythm 12 Lead Trace | $123.00 | $164.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Ekg Tracing | $193.50 | $258.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Routine Electrocardiogram (Ekg) With Tracing Using At Least 12 Leads | $214.50 | $390.00 | $7.41–$526.50 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 CV ECG Acquisition | $221.08 | $368.46 | $257.92–$287.03 | 40% | May 29, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Scripps Nicu-Ekg Routine 12 Lead Trace | $224.25 | $299.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Electrocardiogram 12 Lead | $239.09 | $398.48 | $278.94–$310.42 | 40% | May 29, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 ECG ROUTINE ECG W/LEAST 12 LDS TRCG ONLY W/O I&R | $338.00 | $650.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA ECG ROUTINE ECG W/LEAST 12 LDS TRCG ONLY W/O I&R | $338.00 | $650.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 ECG ROUTINE ECG W/LEAST 12 LDS TRCG ONLY W/O I&R | $338.00 | $650.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Ecg | $356.25 | $475.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Ekg (Technical) | $452.25 | $603.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC ELECTROCARDIOGRAM TRACING | $628.50 | $838.00 | $146.65–$23,240.00 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC ELECTROCARDIOGRAM TRACING | $628.50 | $838.00 | $52.96–$821.24 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC ELECTROCARDIOGRAM TRACING | $628.50 | $838.00 | $251.40–$687.16 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC ELECTROCARDIOGRAM TRACING | $628.50 | $838.00 | $52.96–$586.60 | 25% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $108.68, median $338.00, highest $628.50 — a 5.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $338.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 6 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 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 is the EKG recording itself, without the doctor's interpretation. It is the code hospitals use for their part of an EKG, while the doctor bills the reading separately (93010). Clinics bill the whole test under 93000.
What the price covers
The price covers recording the tracing. The doctor's interpretation is billed separately.