Carotid ultrasound cost in San Francisco, CA — inpatient
In San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, 11 hospitals list a cash price for carotid artery ultrasound (duplex), both sides of the neck (both sides) as an inpatient: from $953.19 to $1,775.20, with a median of $1,775.20. The lowest listed price is at Hayward Sisters Hospital — $822.01 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $1,240.50 at 22 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 11 cities for code 93880, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 23, 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward Sisters Hospital both sides lowest Hayward, CA · (510) 782-6200 VL CAROTID DUPLEX BI | $953.19 | $3,177.30 | $2,224.11–$2,446.52 | 70% | Feb 23, 2026 source file |
| Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley both sides Pleasanton, CA · (925) 847-3000 Carotid Dplx Bilat | $1,345.60 | $3,364.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Oakland/Richmond both sides Oakland, CA · (510) 752-1000 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek both sides Walnut Creek, CA · (925) 295-4000 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fremont both sides Fremont, CA · (510) 784-4000 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City both sides Redwood City, CA · (650) 299-2000 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Rafael both sides San Rafael, CA · (415) 444-2000 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Antioch both sides Antioch, CA · (925) 813-6500 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Leandro both sides San Leandro, CA · (510) 454-1000 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South San Francisco both sides South San Francisco, CA · (650) 742-3200 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Francisco both sides San Francisco, CA · (415) 833-2646 DUPLEX SCAN EXTRACRANIAL ART COMPL BI STUDY | $1,775.20 | $3,170.00 | — | 44% | — source file |
Both sides : lowest $953.19, median $1,775.20, highest $1,775.20 — a 1.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $2,152.00 — 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 and 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 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.