Nutrition counseling cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 10 hospitals list a cash price for nutrition counseling (medical nutrition therapy), first visit, 15 minutes as an inpatient: from $30.00 to $247.50, with a median of $160.60. The lowest listed price is at Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego — $130.60 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $99.68 at 78 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 6 cities for code 97802, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and May 29, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego lowest San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Mnt-Nutrnl Cnslg Initial1/4 Hr | $30.00 | $40.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Feed Team Eval Ea 15Min-Rd | $51.00 | $68.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 97802 MNT INITIAL 15 MIN CHARGE | $65.21 | $108.68 | $76.08–$84.66 | 40% | May 29, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA MEDICAL NUTRITION ASSMT&IVNTJ INDIV EACH 15 MI | $114.40 | $220.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 MEDICAL NUTRITION ASSMT&IVNTJ INDIV EACH 15 MI | $114.40 | $220.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 MEDICAL NUTRITION ASSMT&IVNTJ INDIV EACH 15 MI | $114.40 | $220.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Medical Nutrition Therapy Initial Assessment And Intervention, Each 15 Minutes | $206.80 | $376.00 | $24.28–$507.60 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC MED NUTR THER 1ST INDIV EA 15 MIN | $247.50 | $330.00 | $98.01–$323.40 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC MED NUTR THER 1ST INDIV EA 15 MIN | $247.50 | $330.00 | $49.50–$323.40 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC MED NUTR THER 1ST INDIV EA 15 MIN | $247.50 | $330.00 | $49.50–$270.60 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC MED NUTR THER 1ST INDIV EA 15 MIN | $247.50 | $330.00 | $98.01–$264.00 | 25% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $30.00, median $160.60, highest $247.50 — a 8.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $114.40 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 6 of 6 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
Medical nutrition therapy is counseling by a registered dietitian for conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.
What the price covers
The price is for one 15-minute unit; a session usually includes several units and codes.