PT evaluation, low complexity cost in New Orleans, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for physical therapy evaluation, low complexity (typically about 20 minutes): from $43.54 to $115.83, with a median of $65.52. The lowest listed price is at Tulane Medical Center and 2 other hospitals — $21.98 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $65.52 at 10 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 3 cities for code 97161, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jun 24, 2026 and Jul 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulane Medical Center lowest New Orleans, LA Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $43.54 | $311.00 | $116.94–$95.16 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital lowest Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $43.54 | $311.00 | $116.94–$95.16 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital lowest Metairie, LA Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $43.54 | $311.00 | $116.94–$95.16 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $62.40 | $390.00 | $117.00–$99.92 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 592-6600 Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $68.64 | $429.00 | $126.50–$99.42 | 84% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $110.18 | $787.00 | $102.16–$99.42 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| University Med Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $112.42 | $511.00 | $107.71–$99.42 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 Evaluation of Physical Therapy Typically 20 Minutes | $115.83 | $429.00 | $104.68–$99.42 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $43.54, median $65.52, highest $115.83 — a 2.7× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 8 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 5 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 is a first physical therapy evaluation of low complexity, typically about 20 minutes face to face. It is used for a stable problem with few other health factors, and ends with a plan of care.
What the price covers
The price covers the evaluation, billed once per evaluation rather than in time units. Treatment on the same day, such as therapeutic exercise or manual therapy, is billed separately in 15-minute units.