How much does CT chest, with contrast cost in Sacramento, CA?

CPT 71260 — the fair price, every hospital's price, and the Medicare benchmark for Sacramento, CA.

Estimates only. Educational estimates from public Medicare benchmarks and hospital-published prices — not a guarantee, and not legal, medical, or financial advice.
71260 CT chest, with contrast
Ask to pay
$356
About 2.0× what Medicare pays — most hospitals accept a self-pay rate in this range.
What Medicare paysⓘ
$178
Typical price near you
$3,600
Cash / self-pay price
$3,600
Prices near you — 15 facilities, lowest first
FacilityTypePricevs MedicareQuality
Adventist Health Bakersfield (Bakersfield) lowest ⚠ likely error Hospital $33cash 0.2× —
Dignity St. Joseph's Medical Center (Stockton) Hospital $613cash 3.4× —
Dignity Bakersfield Memorial Hospital (Bakersfield) Hospital $1,479cash 8.3× —
Dignity Mercy General Hospital (Sacramento) Hospital $1,548cash 8.7× ★★★★★
Dignity Mercy San Juan Medical Center (Carmichael) Hospital $1,945cash 10.9× —
Kaweah Health Medical Center (Visalia) Hospital $2,942cash 16.5× —
UC Davis Medical Center (Sacramento) Hospital $3,146cash 17.7× ★★★★★
Clovis Community Medical Center (Clovis) Hospital $3,600cash 20.2× —
Community Regional Medical Center (Fresno) Hospital $3,600cash 20.2× —
Dignity Mercy Medical Center Redding (Redding) Hospital $3,686cash 20.7× —
Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center (Fresno) Hospital $3,763cash 21.1× —
Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center (Sacramento) Hospital $3,763cash 21.1× ★★★★★
Prices from each hospital's public machine-readable file; imaging & surgery-center prices are published self-pay rates (often the cheapest option). vs Medicare is how many times the Medicare rate each facility charges. 1 unusually low/high price excluded from the typical price as likely data errors.
💬 What to say — negotiation scripts
  • For 71260 (CT chest, with contrast), Medicare's benchmark rate is $178.02. A fair self-pay target for this line is $356.04. If I was charged more than that, please reduce it toward this benchmark.
  • Your own published cash / self-pay price for 71260 is $3,600.00, and negotiated rates at nearby facilities run $1,547.59–$3,763.20. Please apply a rate in that range to my bill rather than the gross charge.
  • Please send a fully itemized bill listing every CPT/HCPCS/DRG code and its individual charge, so I can review each line against published rates.
  • Separately, what is your financial assistance / charity care policy, and am I eligible? Please send me the application and the income thresholds.
See CT chest, with contrast prices in another area

What should 71260 cost in Sacramento, CA?

For CT chest, with contrast (CPT 71260) in Sacramento, CA, a fair self-pay price is around $3,600, with hospitals ranging from $1,548 to $3,763 across 15 facilities. Medicare's benchmark rate is $178, the floor to negotiate toward. The card above lists each hospital's price, cheapest first, with CMS quality stars.

Frequently asked questions

How much does CT chest, with contrast cost in Sacramento, CA?

A fair self-pay price for CT chest, with contrast (CPT 71260) in Sacramento, CA is around $3,600, with hospital prices ranging from $1,548 to $3,763 across 15 facilities. These are estimates from hospital-published prices, not a guarantee.

What is the Medicare rate for CPT 71260?

Medicare pays about $178 for CT chest, with contrast (CPT 71260). That's the negotiation floor — a fair cash-pay target is roughly 1.5–2× it, well below typical gross charges.

Can I negotiate the price of CT chest, with contrast?

Yes. Under the federal Hospital Price Transparency rule hospitals must publish these rates, so you can ask to pay the cash or negotiated rate instead of the gross charge. Paste your bill on the home page for a ready-to-send appeal letter and the exact numbers to cite.

Got a bill for this?

If you were charged more than the fair price, you can usually negotiate it down. Paste your itemized bill to get a personalized appeal letter, the exact numbers to cite, an AI negotiation coach, and a charity-care eligibility check — free.

Compare other procedures in Sacramento, CA

Prices last refreshed September 2026 from each hospital's official CMS machine-readable file. Medicare rate: CY2025 OPPS/PFS/CLFS. Estimates only — not a guarantee.