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Ultrasound Cost

How Much Does an Ultrasound Cost?

low cost Average: $200

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An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves, inaudible to the human ear, which are transmitted through the abdomen to produce images of a baby inside the womb. An ultrasound, also referred to as a sonogram, is performed on most pregnant women at 20 weeks to confirm that the placenta is healthy and to measure the baby's growth and development.
 
Typical costs:
  • An ultrasound performed by a licensed medical professional - either a physician or a registered medical diagnostic sonographer - usually costs around $200 according to Parenting Magazine. Medical insurance generally covers the cost of an ultrasound if it is deemed medically necessary.
  • If an expectant mother gets an ultrasound only to see the baby or to find out its sex, the insurance company may not pay for the procedure. The cost of an ultrasound varies by insurance plan.
What should be included:
  • Gel is rubbed on the mother's belly, and a transducer is gently pressed against the skin on the abdomen, sending sound waves that reflect images of the baby that appear on a television monitor. The sonographer records measurements and takes still pictures, which can be taken home.
  • During the first trimester, ultrasounds are often done through the vagina with a specially designed probe and can provide better images. An ultrasound takes 15 to 20 minutes. While not 100 percent accurate, ultrasounds can pick up most serious birth defects or problem pregnancies.
  • The more experienced the doctor or technician, the more accurate the results. Some facilities are accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.
Additional costs:
  • So called "keepsake" ultrasounds performed at stand-alone ultrasound facilities not affiliated with medical offices or clinics perform 3-D images for a range of prices starting at $99 and running up to $300 for black-and-white pictures, videos, CD photo slideshows and color photos. However, the American Institute of Ultrasound and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not recommend ultrasounds for non-medical or entertainment purposes. Unskilled technicians incorrectly interpret ultrasounds, and equipment may not be in good working order.
Shopping for an ultrasound:
  • Startby asking your health insurance company whether the procedure will be covered. If you don't have insurance, or your insurance company won't cover the cost of a sonogram, ask your obstetrician, midwife or other healthcare provider for the names of experienced, licensed sonographers in your area. Many obstetricians perform ultrasounds themselves.
Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. For medical decisions, always consult your physician for the right course for your infant or child.
 
Article updated March 2007
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Recent Posts
Amount: $55.00 cost a bundle, but mostly covered
Posted by: skaterdog in Palo Alto, CA.Purchased: October, 2007
Covered by Insurance?: yes, Blue Cross PPOMedical Center: Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital
Thank goodness for insurance! My level 2 ultrasound (done at 20 weeks) cost $950, but $400 was my patient savings, and $495 was covered by Blue Cross, so I had to pay only $55. What a relief... Also, the fetus looks healthy, and we're having a boy!
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Amount: $853.00 testicular ultrasound
Posted by: playmaker in franklin, TN.Purchased: December, 2007
Covered by Insurance?: had no insuranceMedical Center: Cool springs Imaging Center
Just wish I had insurance. I havent got the results back yet.
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Amount: $10.00 INSANE! Way too high..
Posted by: Cindy Johnson in Orlando, FL.Purchased: 2007
Covered by Insurance?: NoMedical Center: 3rd World Country
It is very funny that people pay such high insane rates for such a simple procedure. This technology/procedure is by no means worth paying nearly $1000 for.. We need to get rid of these insurance companies and start asking for what the procedures are really worth so health care can be affordable.. I was in a third world country and received an ultrasound for only $10.. It was performed by a doctor not a technician.. The doctor was as good as the doctors here.. I know our politicians tend to tout the USA as first class medical care but honestly I think that only applies to the building you received the care in not the staff.. Whats the point of having health care if it is not affordable to many.. I guess for some people they think its just fine to pay $1000 for putting a transducer on your belly and seeing the echo on the monitor.. I guess thats high tech for some..
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Amount: $220.00 Insurance does not help much
Posted by: Vitaly in Atlanta, GA.Purchased: December, 2007
Covered by Insurance?: yes, Bluecross PPOMedical Center: Northside Hospital
Level 2 Ultrasound at 21st week of pregnancy. I called the office several time trying to find out how much it would approximately cost, but nobody could tell me anything. After several tries I got a number of around $800-$1000. So we went, hoping that insurance will cover most of it. Payed 45$ copay. Doctor charged insurance company for 214$ and hospital for $680. We just received bill from the hospital for another $175. All this just for a 15 minute doctor's visit. I still don't quite understand what is the hospital charge for, but it seems that there is no way of getting out of paying it. Overall, out of pocket expenses are the same as if we did not have insurance at all. I know a lot of people who had it done for around $200 without any insurance.
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Amount: $778.00 Fibroid Ultrasound
Posted by: M Patton in Cary, NC.Purchased: April, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: $116Medical Center:
The bill showed two procedures, one for Pelvic and another for Transvaginal. Went in for an A (singular) unltrasound, does not seem right that just because they used two different tools, that I get charged twice as much. It was $389 per tool/wand. Insurance only covered a fraction of the cost, and the radiologist would not alter the bill.
I guess we need to find out more about the costs before having procedures done.
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Amount: $113.00 Breast Ultrasound
Posted by: Sabrina in Olympia Fields, IL.Purchased: April, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: NopeMedical Center: ST. James Hospital, Olympia Fields, IL
They sent me a bill for $113.00, they only performed ultrasound on right breast. I guess to have both breast ultrasounded, I would have been out of $226.00.
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Amount: $200.00 Pregnancy pelvic ultrasound
Posted by: a user in commack, NY.Purchased: June, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: NoMedical Center: Bab Radiology
I dont know what level, but my wife was in her 6th week. we told the radiology center we didnt have insurance so they gave us a discount. They said if you had insurance we would have charged 400, but without insurance we will reduce it to 200, yes 50% discount ! no bullshit. They did both transvaginal and abdominal.
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Amount: $1,350.00 Cost too high
Posted by: Dan Fries in Oakland, CA.Purchased: January, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: noMedical Center: Alta Bates Summit Oakland
We had a pre-natal ultrasound just before my wife's insurance kicked in for maternity, and our bills totaled over $1350. We've already paid $200 for 10 minutes of someone's time, and we're now fighting the rest (10 minutes of a machine's time), which was "charity" reduced to $650. This is outrageous!
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Amount: $287.00 Ultrasound Cost
Posted by: Kelly in Visalia, CA.Purchased: 2008
Covered by Insurance?: noMedical Center:
287 was the cash out of pocket discount before that would have been $487!!!!!!! i had to have 2 utra sounds! expensive $574 if you ask me!!!
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Amount: $1,580.65 Pelvic/Abdominal pain ultrasound
Posted by: Tanya in Fairbanks, AK.Purchased: September, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: unsure how muchMedical Center: Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
I recently had a pelvic & abdominal ultrasound performed, the entire procedure took less than 45 minutes. I did have to pay my 20% up front even BEFORE the ultrasounds and am unsure if my insurance will cover the rest (I hope so). We are very limited here in Fairbanks, Alaska and so we tend to get charged to the hilt, regardless if they use older equipment. It is ridiculous, they were quick to send me the bill even though I still have not heard about the results from my visit!
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Amount: $0.00 foregoing ultrasound due to cost
Posted by: Debbie SLP in Keene, NH.Purchased: 2008
Covered by Insurance?: noMedical Center:
We are 39 & 42, educated, and employed full time. We are still paying bills from my husband's injury last year, which included a misdiagnosis, multiple (turned out to be unnecessary) procedures and prescriptions, and MUCH wasted time and money. We had insurance at the time, but it did not cover everything, and what it didn't cover was staggering. We felt cheated, having paid into that policy for years.

We had to give up our health insurance and our home due to those bills. We used all our savings and dipped into retirement accounts to get by. We now rent, have sold most of our belongings, and are living happily within our means, with about 75% of our income going to medical bills. We will finish paying for this event in three years.

Then we finally got pregnant! We don't qualify for any aid, because on paper, we still earn a decent living. Because I'm healthy, we've decided to forego all ultrasounds and most prenatal care. We cannot afford to pile medical bills upon medical bills.

Health insurance for us (pre-pregnancy) would have been $700-800 per month with a maternity rider. That's more than our rent! An uncomplicated vaginal delivery is $16,500 in our area including doctor's fees, two day hospital stay, and newborn care. That's with the uninsured discount!

I am researching home birth with a midwife. Not what I had planned, and not what my family approves of, but what can I do? This is what the modern medical system in the US does to people.
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Amount: $885.00 6 week ultrasound
Posted by: PJ in Olean, NY.Purchased: August, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: 80%Medical Center: Olean Medical Group
I had to laugh about some of the costs of Ultrasounds. I want to know where I can go to get an ultrasound for $200-400.00?
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Amount: $50.00 8 week ultrasound
Posted by: angie dd in Seoul, Other.Purchased: November, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: noMedical Center: Dr.Sung\'s Clinic
I got my 8 week ultrasound done in South Korea for $50 or 60 000 South Korean Won. I agree, american health care system is too much!!! although i am a canadian and i think it would of been free in Canada. This ultrasound was done in a special international OB clinic which tends to be MORE pricey than your regular korean doctor so yeah 1000 dollars is crazy. what are you paying for in america?? and korean OB facilities are top notch.
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Amount: $620.20 Pre-Natal Ultrasound at Hospital
Posted by: A user in Provo, UT in Provo, UT.Purchased: November, 2008
=$260 for prenatal specialist fee
$360.20 for hospital charges

We went to have a closer look at a placental cyst. We were in the room for maybe half an hour.
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Amount: $500.00 Too Costly
Posted by: UpsetFustrated in Setauket, NY.Purchased: November, 2008
Covered by Insurance?: NoMedical Center: University OB/GYN
Had insurance but no one told me it wouldnt be covered if referred by this doc even though doc is part of network.
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Amount: $3,000.00 Ultrasound
Posted by: Sharry Spencer in Wadesboro, NC.Purchased: January, 2009
Covered by Insurance?: noMedical Center: emergency room
I went to the emergency room in Anson County, NC with severe back pains, an ultrasound and xrays were done. Received a bill yesterday totaling $6,000 for xray and ultrasound. I am very upset because no diagnosis was made despite these tests being made. I do not have insurance and the hospital is aware of this. What can I do? Is this amount unreasonable? Who can I contact concerning this?
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Amount: $408.00 Ultrasound - Nuchal Translucency (NT) Test
Posted by: Angry Couple in Mountain View, CA.Purchased: January, 2009
Covered by Insurance?: sort ofMedical Center: El Camino Hospital
The hospital billed the insurance $1166.88, but since it was in network, they charged us $408, and the insurance paid $0.

What they didn't tell us when we went in to take the test were the costs of the genetic class and the ultrasound. The brochure only mentioned $95 for the blood test. We thought we were getting an NT test for $95, but instead we're paying $55 for the mandatory genetic counseling, $408 for the ultrasound, and $95 for the actual blood test.

We feel VERY WRONGED by the misleading brochure entitled "Stepwise Sequential Screening".
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Amount: $680.00 Ultrasound
Posted by: Sofia in Broward, FL.Purchased: 2009
Covered by Insurance?: noMedical Center: Memorial Hospital
Im pregnant , I had one at 20 weeks, and I recived my bill for $680, but in 2007 since I didnt have insurance I enrolled in a special program in this Hospital and I recieved a discount of 90$, then I have to pay only $68.
But I have more bills for prenatal care for example a bill for Laboratory Tests for $2300, I will have same discount. The problem is I have to take more ultrasonds and more tests and I am not sure how much will cost everithing, and the delivery is another thing. Next week I have to take a ultrasound level 2, but I am not sure if i going to go, every bill is a sorprise. So far I feel very good, and the result of test are fine too
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Amount: $101.00 Scrotum exam
Posted by: MRM in Philadelphia, PA.Purchased: July, 2009
Covered by Insurance?: NoMedical Center: Hahnemann
Ultrasound exam on scrotum after during a bout of testicular torsion. Was not insured at the time. They looked at both testicles for imaging of blood flow. Not looking forward to bills for surgery to remove the dead testicle. Bad week all around.
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Amount: $1,722.75 Ultrasound
Posted by: Sick ofOvercharges in Naperville, IL.Purchased: 2009
Covered by Insurance?: YesMedical Center: Edward Hospital - Mat. Fetal Med.
Edward Hospital is in our network.

My dr sent me here for a Level 2 ultrasound. We were there for about 40 minutes. We received 5 blurry pictures (no cd or extras), 3 of them are the same picture.

The medical center billed my insurance a $877.75 Facility (equipment) charge & billed another $845 Professional Provider Charge. This is a total of $1,722.75 even after $1,100 in 'discounts'!
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Amount: $150.00 Pregnancy
Posted by: Frank and May in Salt Lake City, UT.Purchased: September, 2009
Covered by Insurance?: noMedical Center: Birthwise Maternity Salt Lake City
Heather is a Midwife in norther Utah that highers a contractor to do the ultrasounds. He only does the 2d ultrasounds.
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Amount: $1,250.00 Pelvic Pain Ultrasound
Posted by: Jennifer K. Sutton in Indianapolis, IN.Purchased: September, 2009
Covered by Insurance?: 504.63Medical Center: St. Vincent Hospital,
I received an ultra sound for pelvic pain in my lower right quadrant which as perisisted to various degrees for the past year. The nurses told me nothing about what they saw and made it seem like there was something wrong. The nurses from my doctors office said everything came back normal. Not only have I received no explanation for why I may be in pain, I have recieved no explanation for what was seen and after reading your article am confirmed that I have been charged entirely too much. What do I need to do to make sure no one else gets charged too much too?
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Amount: $963.00 OB Ultrasound
Posted by: For Profit Health Care is Immoral! in Muskogee, OK.Purchased: October, 2009
Covered by Insurance?: NoMedical Center: Muskogee Community Hospital
My midwife moved up my age and dates ultrasound (15w) do to my gyn history. I was rushed in even though I kept saying we could hold off. The ultrasound tech said everything looked perfect but when I went back to my midwife they thought I had placenta previa and low amniotic fluid. She even said that there was a note made saying the procedure was incomplete. I was now very worried and my midwife scheduled another ultrasound in another city. That scan's bill has not been received but absolutly no abnormailites were found. So now I have to pay for 2 ultrasounds, one that I was coercied into getting and one that I was too concerned NOT to have done. Why is it that when an error occures and a test needs to be repeated that you still have to pay for the incompetetly performed procedure?
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Amount: $100.28 Pregnancy NT Ultrasound and labs
Posted by: Patricia1982 in Milwaukee, WI.Purchased: October, 2009
Covered by Insurance?: 401.20Medical Center: Aurora Clinic
My doctor\'s office is located at the clinic which has the ultrasound and lab facilities right there. I went in for the 12 week pregnancy NT ultrasound and blood work. The ulratsound was performed by a tech and took about 30 minutes or so. This was covered at 80% so I paid $76.14 and my insurance paid $304.64. The blood work was covered at 80% also so I paid $24.14 and my insurance paid $96.56. There were no facility or hospital charges since this was not performed at a hospital but in the clinic. I was also in-network with my Cigna Insurance so I am sure that helped. I would suggest for anyone getting an ultrasound to look into having it done at a clinic or other non-hospital location.
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