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

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

Without insurance, the cash price for both abdominal ultrasound (76700) and pelvic ultrasound (76856) is $101.55 at all seven hospitals: Bristol Regional, Franklin Woods, Hawkins County Memorial, Holston Valley, Indian Path, Johnson City Medical Center, and Sycamore Shoals. The overall range is therefore $101.55 to $101.55, and there is no cost difference between the two code variants. These figures are facility fees, meaning charges for the hospital's room, equipment, and staff. Physician or professional fees, such as a radiologist's interpretation of the images, are billed separately and are not included in the cash price.

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

The gross charge, also called the chargemaster price, is the hospital's full list price before any discounts or negotiated rates. It is $677 for both codes at all seven hospitals. Almost no one pays this amount. Insurers negotiate lower rates, and hospitals offer discounted cash prices to self-pay patients. At every hospital in this comparison, the cash price of $101.55 equals 15% of the gross charge, a discount of 85%. Because gross charges and discount percentages are identical across the hospitals, no facility shows a higher cash price resulting from a larger gross charge. The gross charge mainly serves as a starting point for billing calculations.

Does insurance cover a ultrasound?

Coverage depends on the specific plan and whether the exam meets the plan's medical necessity criteria. Negotiated rates vary widely: for abdominal ultrasound, the 315 payer rates range from $48.16 to $677, and pelvic ultrasound shows the same range. Some plans require prior authorization for non-emergency imaging, so approval may need to be confirmed with the insurer before the exam. If you are on a high-deductible plan and have not met your deductible, you owe the negotiated rate for your plan, not the $677 gross charge. After the deductible is met, copays or coinsurance apply.

Are there additional fees beyond the ultrasound facility charge?

Yes. The prices on this page are facility fees, covering the hospital's room, equipment, and technologist. For imaging procedures like ultrasound, a radiologist typically bills a separate professional fee for reading and interpreting the images. That fee may come from a different billing entity than the hospital, and it is not included in the cash prices shown here. Ultrasounds performed in the emergency department also incur a separate ER facility fee. These additional charges are billed separately, and their amounts are not part of the source data for this page.

What is the cash price for an abdominal ultrasound at Johnson City Medical Center?

Johnson City Medical Center lists a cash price of $101.55 for the complete abdominal ultrasound (CPT 76700), which is 15% of its $677 gross charge. Insured rates there run from $64.60 to $677. These figures are facility charges only, so separate professional fees are not included.

Is there a Tri-Cities hospital with a lower self-pay price for ultrasound than the others?

No. All 7 hospitals on this page, all part of Ballad Health, publish the same cash price of $101.55 for both 76700 and 76856. Each lists a $677 gross charge, so cash is 15% of gross everywhere. These are facility charges only, and none of the 14 rows has missing data.

What are Holston Valley Medical Center ultrasound prices in Kingsport?

Holston Valley Medical Center lists $101.55 cash and a $677 gross charge for both the abdominal (76700) and pelvic (76856) ultrasounds. Insured rates run from $57.79 to $677 for 76700 and from $50.23 to $677 for 76856. All figures are facility charges only, not including separate physician fees.

What do UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross pay for an abdominal ultrasound at Indian Path Community Hospital?

At Indian Path Community Hospital, Blue Cross TennCare Blue Care and Blue Select each list $64.60 for 76700. UnitedHealthcare lists $86.68 for TennCare, $535 for UHC Heritage River Valley, and $677 for its standard plan. These are facility charges only, from a table of 47 published rates.

What is the lowest insured rate for an ultrasound in the Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol area?

The lowest insured rate on this page is $48.16 at Hawkins County Memorial Hospital for the abdominal ultrasound (76700); it also lists $48.16 for the pelvic ultrasound (76856). The highest is $677 at Bristol Regional Medical Center. Rates are facility charges only and vary by insurer and plan.