Carotid ultrasound cost in Boston, MA — inpatient
In Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 1 hospital lists a cash price for carotid artery ultrasound (duplex), both sides of the neck as an inpatient: from $575.00 to $575.00, with a median of $575.00. Across Massachusetts, the median is $1,439.68 at 5 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 5 cities for code 93880, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Health Alliance lowest Cambridge, MA · (617) 665-1000 HC Carotid Duplex Doppler | $575.00 | $575.00 | $300.69–$1,409.70 | — | — source file |
| Boston Medical Center South both sides Brockton, MA · (508) 427-3000 HC Duplex Scan Extracranial Art Compl Bi Study | $300.79 | $668.43 | $261.47–$740.54 | 55% | — source file |
| Boston Medical Center Brighton both sides Boston, MA · (617) 789-3000 HC Duplex Scan Extracranial Art Compl Bi Study | $348.40 | $774.23 | $261.47–$853.39 | 55% | — source file |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare both sides Melrose, MA · (781) 979-3000 HC Duplex Scan Extracranial Bilat - Carotid Duplex | $485.80 | $694.00 | $242.90–$800.04 | 30% | — source file |
| Lowell General Hospital both sides Lowell, MA · (978) 937-6000 HC Duplex Scan Extracranial Bilat - Carotid Duplex | $647.50 | $925.00 | $323.75–$925.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Tufts Medical Center both sides Boston, MA · (617) 636-5000 HC Duplex Scan Extracranial Bilat - Carotid Duplex | $750.40 | $1,072.00 | $281.51–$1,160.13 | 30% | — source file |
| Boston Medical Center both sides Boston, MA · (617) 638-8000 HC Duplex Scan Extracranial Art Compl Bi Study | $1,048.50 | $2,330.00 | $261.47–$1,980.50 | 55% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $575.00, median $575.00, highest $575.00.
Both sides : lowest $300.79, median $566.65, highest $1,048.50 — a 3.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $575.00 — 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 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 carotid ultrasound uses sound waves and Doppler to look at the arteries in the neck that carry blood to the brain. It checks for narrowing or plaque and is ordered after a stroke or mini-stroke, for a bruit heard in the neck, or to follow known artery disease.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the complete study of both sides. The interpretation by a radiologist or vascular specialist is often billed separately.