Echocardiogram Cost in Tri-Cities (Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol), TN

How much does a echocardiogram cost without insurance in Tri-Cities (Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol)?

Without insurance, the cash price for a transthoracic echocardiogram with Doppler (HCPCS 93306) is $448.35 at all seven hospitals in the Tri-Cities area: Bristol Regional, Franklin Woods, Hawkins County Memorial, Holston Valley, Indian Path, Johnson City Medical Center, and Sycamore Shoals. The overall range is therefore $448.35 to $448.35, with no variation between facilities. Only one code is listed, so there is no cost difference between code variants. These figures are facility fees, which cover the hospital's room, equipment, and technical staff. Physician or professional fees, such as the interpretation of the images, are billed separately.

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

The gross charge, or chargemaster price, is a hospital's full list price before any discounts. For code 93306, it is $2,989 at all seven hospitals. The cash price of $448.35 is 15% of that amount, a discount of about 85%. Almost no one pays the gross charge; insurers negotiate lower rates, and self-pay patients are typically quoted the cash price. Because every hospital in this dataset lists the same gross charge and the same cash price, there is no case where a larger percentage discount still leads to a higher cash price. The gross charge functions mainly as a starting point for negotiations and billing.

Does insurance cover a echocardiogram?

Coverage depends on the specific plan and on whether the insurer considers the service medically necessary. Negotiated rates for code 93306 vary widely: the lowest among 315 payer rates is $170.76 and the highest is $2,989. Non-emergency cases may require prior authorization from the insurer, which is a pre-approval step before the service is performed. Patients on high-deductible health plans who have not yet met their deductible owe the negotiated rate for their plan, not the $2,989 gross charge. Once the deductible is met, cost-sharing such as coinsurance or copays typically applies according to the plan terms.

Are there additional fees beyond the echocardiogram facility charge?

Yes. The prices shown on this page are facility fees, which cover the hospital's room, equipment, and technical staff. A physician, usually a cardiologist, interprets the echocardiogram images and bills a separate professional fee for that reading. These professional fees are not included in the facility prices listed here, and no dollar amounts for them appear in this dataset. If the echocardiogram is performed in the emergency department, a separate ER facility fee is also billed. Other services connected to the visit, such as an office consultation, may also appear as separate charges.

What is the cash price for a 93306 echocardiogram at Johnson City Medical Center?

Johnson City Medical Center publishes a cash price of $448.35 for 93306 Transthoracic Echocardiogram with Doppler, against a gross charge of $2,989. Both figures are facility charges only, so they do not include any separate professional or physician fees. The page shows the same cash price at all 7 Ballad Health hospitals listed, and no row is missing a cash price.

What is the lowest and highest echocardiogram price in Tri-Cities (Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol)?

Across the 7 hospitals on this page, the cash price is $448.35 at every one, so the cash range has no spread. Insured rates run from $170.76 to $2,989 for 93306. All of these are facility charges only. No row has a missing gross charge, so none of these figures reflect blank or $0 data.

What does Blue Cross pay for an echocardiogram at Indian Path Community Hospital in Kingsport?

At Indian Path Community Hospital, the payer table lists Blue Cross rates for 93306 starting at $170.76 for Blue Cross Ballad Health Employee. TennCare Blue Care and TennCare Blue Select are each listed at $172.57. These are facility charges only. The page shows 47 published rates for this code at that hospital, so other Blue Cross plans may appear in the full table.

What is CPT code 93306 and which echocardiogram code does this Tri-Cities page cover?

This page covers one billing code, 93306, labeled Transthoracic Echocardiogram with Doppler. All 7 price rows from Ballad Health hospitals in the Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol area use this code, so there are no differences between codes to compare here. The prices shown are facility charges only and do not include separate professional fees.

How much do UnitedHealthcare echocardiogram rates vary at Indian Path Community Hospital in Kingsport?

At Indian Path Community Hospital, UnitedHealthcare rates for 93306 range widely in the payer table: TennCare United Healthcare is listed at $353.50, UHC Heritage River Valley at $2,143, and United Healthcare at $2,776. These are facility charges only. The table's highest rate is about 18x its lowest, so rates differ a lot by plan.