Leg or arm vein ultrasound cost in Boston, MA — inpatient
In Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 7 hospitals list a cash price for vein ultrasound (duplex) of one arm or leg, or a limited study as an inpatient: from $190.63 to $499.50, with a median of $353.50. The lowest listed price is at Boston Medical Center South — $162.87 less than the median here. Across Massachusetts, the median is $422.00 at 17 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 5 cities for code 93971, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Medical Center South one side lowest Brockton, MA · (508) 427-3000 HC Dup-Scan Xtr Veins Unilateral/Limited Study | $190.63 | $423.63 | $125.29–$394.86 | 55% | — source file |
| Boston Medical Center Brighton one side Boston, MA · (617) 789-3000 HC Dup-Scan Xtr Veins Unilateral/Limited Study | $208.30 | $462.89 | $125.29–$475.07 | 55% | — source file |
| Lowell General Hospital Lowell, MA · (978) 937-6000 HC Extremity Study - US Upper Extremity Veins Righ | $263.20 | $376.00 | $131.60–$694.94 | 30% | — source file |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare Melrose, MA · (781) 979-3000 HC Extremity Study - US Upper Extremity Veins Righ | $353.50 | $505.00 | $85.69–$819.08 | 30% | — source file |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare Melrose, MA · (781) 979-3000 HC Duplex Extrem Venous Uni or Ltd | $353.50 | $505.00 | $85.69–$819.08 | 30% | — source file |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare Melrose, MA · (781) 979-3000 HC Extremity Study - US Lower Extremity Veins Righ | $353.50 | $505.00 | $85.69–$819.08 | 30% | — source file |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare Melrose, MA · (781) 979-3000 HC Duplex Extrem Venous Uni or Ltd - US Doppler Ve | $353.50 | $505.00 | $85.69–$819.08 | 30% | — source file |
| Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge, MA · (617) 665-1000 HC Duplex Post Venous Closure | $422.00 | $422.00 | $146.05–$904.82 | — | — source file |
| Tufts Medical Center Boston, MA · (617) 636-5000 HC Duplex Extrem Venous Uni or Ltd - US Doppler Ve | $439.60 | $628.00 | $164.91–$942.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Tufts Medical Center Boston, MA · (617) 636-5000 HC Extremity Study - US Upper Extremity Veins Righ | $460.60 | $658.00 | $172.79–$987.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Boston Medical Center one side Boston, MA · (617) 638-8000 HC Dup-Scan Xtr Veins Unilateral/Limited Study | $499.50 | $1,110.00 | $119.97–$943.50 | 55% | — source file |
| Tufts Medical Center Boston, MA · (617) 636-5000 HC Duplex Extrem Venous Uni or Ltd | $613.90 | $877.00 | $230.30–$1,315.50 | 30% | — source file |
| Lowell General Hospital Lowell, MA · (978) 937-6000 HC Extremity Study - US Lower Extremity Veins Righ | $616.00 | $880.00 | $188.23–$1,320.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Lowell General Hospital Lowell, MA · (978) 937-6000 HC Duplex Extrem Venous Uni or Ltd - US Doppler Ve | $616.00 | $880.00 | $188.23–$1,320.00 | 30% | — source file |
| Lowell General Hospital Lowell, MA · (978) 937-6000 HC Duplex Extrem Venous Uni or Ltd | $616.00 | $880.00 | $188.23–$1,320.00 | 30% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $190.63, median $353.50, highest $499.50 — a 2.6× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 8 facilities here, median $387.75 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 7 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 none is it 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 venous duplex ultrasound checks the veins of one arm or leg for blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) and blood flow problems. It is ordered for leg swelling or pain, and to check veins before vein treatment.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the study of one limb or a limited study. The interpretation by a radiologist or vascular specialist is often billed separately.