Manual therapy, 15 min cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for physical therapy, hands-on manual therapy (15-minute unit) as an inpatient: from $135.20 to $173.80, with a median of $135.20. The lowest listed price is at Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa and 2 other hospitals. Across California, the median is $119.84 at 83 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 2 cities for code 97140, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 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 Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa lowest San Diego, CA MANUAL THERAPY TQS 1/> REGIONS EACH 15 MINUTES | $135.20 | $260.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos lowest San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 MANUAL THERAPY TQS 1/> REGIONS EACH 15 MINUTES | $135.20 | $260.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion lowest San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 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 |
Inpatient: lowest $135.20, median $135.20, highest $173.80 — a 1.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $135.20 — 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
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.