Manual therapy, 15 min cost in San Diego, CA
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 5 hospitals list a cash price for physical therapy, hands-on manual therapy (15-minute unit): from $30.00 to $173.80, with a median of $135.20. The lowest listed price is at Paradise Valley Hospital — $105.20 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $119.84 at 83 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 3 cities for code 97140, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 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 Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA · (619) 470-4321 PT MANUAL THRPY EA 15M | $30.00 | $192.28 | $30.55–$192.28 | 84% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA · (619) 470-4321 OT MANUAL THERAPY OTA EA 15 | $30.00 | $166.48 | $30.55–$192.28 | 82% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA · (619) 470-4321 OT MANUAL THRPY EA 15M | $30.00 | $192.28 | $30.55–$192.28 | 84% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA · (619) 470-4321 PT MANUAL THERAPY PTA EA15 | $30.00 | $192.28 | $30.55–$192.28 | 84% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 MANUAL THERAPY TQS 1/> REGIONS EACH 15 MINUTES | $135.20 | $260.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA MANUAL THERAPY TQS 1/> REGIONS EACH 15 MINUTES | $135.20 | $260.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 MANUAL THERAPY TQS 1/> REGIONS EACH 15 MINUTES | $135.20 | $260.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Manual (Physical) Therapy Techniques To 1 Or More Regions, Each 15 Minutes | $173.80 | $316.00 | $29.94–$426.60 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $30.00, median $135.20, highest $173.80 — a 5.8× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $135.20. 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 2 of 2 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 covers hands-on treatment by a therapist, such as joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, manual traction or manual lymphatic drainage, billed in 15-minute units. It is used to reduce pain and improve movement, often alongside exercise.
What the price covers
The price is per 15-minute unit, so a visit often bills it together with other codes, such as therapeutic exercise.