Echocardiogram Cost in Knoxville, TN

How much does a echocardiogram cost without insurance in Knoxville?

Without insurance, cash prices for code 93306 (transthoracic echocardiogram with Doppler) in Knoxville are: Parkwest $374.70; Fort Loudoun, Fort Sanders Regional, Methodist Oak Ridge, and Roane Medical Center $412.17 each; UT Medical Center $520.75; Tennova Turkey Creek $1,210.06; Tennova North Knoxville $1,259.55; and LaFollette Medical Center $1,501.45. The overall range is $374.70 to $1,501.45. Only one code is listed, so there is no variant comparison. These figures are facility fees only. Physician or professional fees for interpreting the exam are billed separately.

Why is the gross charge so much higher than the cash price?

The gross charge, also called the chargemaster price, is a hospital's undiscounted list price. Almost no one pays it. At Parkwest, cash is 30% of the $1,249 gross charge. At Tennova Turkey Creek, cash is 22% of a $5,560.93 gross charge. Tennova Turkey Creek's discount is larger in percentage terms, yet its cash price of $1,210.06 is still more than three times Parkwest's $374.70, because its starting gross charge is more than four times higher. Gross charges serve as a starting point for discounts and negotiated rates, not as the amount most patients owe.

Does insurance cover a echocardiogram?

Coverage depends on your plan and whether the exam is considered medically necessary. Some plans require prior authorization for non-emergency imaging. Negotiated rates for code 93306 vary widely across payers, from $64.26 to $82,900.62 in the transparency files. Within a single hospital, the spread can also be large; Parkwest's insured range is $146.18 to $1,124.10. If you have a high-deductible plan and have not met your deductible, you owe the negotiated rate for your plan, not the gross charge, until the deductible is met.

Are there additional fees beyond the echocardiogram facility charge?

Yes. The prices listed here are facility fees, which cover the hospital's room, equipment, and technical staff. A physician, typically a cardiologist, interprets the images and bills a separate professional fee. That fee does not appear in the hospital transparency data used on this page, so no dollar amount is given. If the exam is performed in an emergency department, a separate ER facility fee is also billed. Other services connected to the visit, such as an office consultation, may carry their own charges.

What is the cash price for an echocardiogram at Parkwest Medical Center?

Parkwest Medical Center lists a cash price of $374.70 for CPT 93306, a transthoracic echocardiogram with Doppler. That is 30% of its $1,249 gross charge and the lowest cash price among the 9 Knoxville-area hospitals on this page. The figure is a facility charge only and does not include other bills.

What are the lowest and highest echocardiogram cash prices in Knoxville?

Cash prices for the echocardiogram in Knoxville run from $374.70 at Parkwest Medical Center to $1,501.45 at LaFollette Medical Center. All 9 hospitals on this page publish a cash price. The highest is about 4x the lowest. Both figures are facility charges only and may not include physician or reading fees.

What is the echocardiogram cash price at The University of Tennessee Medical Center?

The University of Tennessee Medical Center lists a cash price of $520.75 for CPT 93306, against a gross charge of $2,083. Cash is 25% of gross there. This is a facility charge only. Its published insured rates run from $64.26 to $2,083, depending on the payer and plan.

What does Aetna Medicare Advantage pay for an echocardiogram in Knoxville?

At The University of Tennessee Medical Center, Aetna Medicare Advantage has a published rate of $64.26 for CPT 93306, the lowest in the payer table of 517 rates. This is a facility rate only. Other Aetna plans or other hospitals may list different amounts, and some may have no published rate.

What is CPT code 93306 and how do Knoxville hospitals price it?

CPT 93306 is a transthoracic echocardiogram with Doppler, the only code on this page. Knoxville hospitals price it by health system. The five Covenant Health hospitals list a $1,249 gross charge, the three Tennova Healthcare hospitals list $5,560.93, and The University of Tennessee Medical Center lists $2,083. All are facility charges.