Peripheral bone density scan cost in California

In California, 145 hospitals publish a cash price for DEXA bone density scan of the wrist, heel or finger (peripheral): from $49.25 to $991.69, with a median of $276.64. The lowest price is at Mercy Medical Center (Merced). The highest price is 20.1× the lowest.

• The median here, $276.64, is 44% above the US median of $192.36.
• That is 3.1× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($88.91).
• California ranks 41st of 48 states by median, cheapest first.
• 39 of 145 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 77081. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 7, 2026. See them on a map