Blue Shield of California diagnostic mammogram cost in California (2026): what Blue Shield of California pays
Blue Shield of California diagnostic mammogram cost in California, 2026: Blue Shield of California's California median for a diagnostic mammogram at doctors' offices and imaging centers is $205. By area, its median runs from $182 (Los Angeles) to $208 (San Francisco and Oakland). That is below the typical rate, $225, across the insurers other than Anthem. Original Medicare pays $180 to $213.
Blue Shield of California rate by area
| Area | Blue Shield of California median, middle half | Billing entities | Typical (excl. Anthem) | Original Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $208 $182 to $276 | 59 | $216 | $208 |
| Oakland | $208 $189 to $374 | 46 | $256 | $208 |
| San Jose | $202 $182 to $349 | 84 | $219 | $213 |
| Los Angeles | $182 $182 to $236 | 242 | $211 | $180 |
Providers within 20 miles of each downtown. Typical (excl. Anthem): the middle of the insurer medians in that area, leaving out Anthem's rate menu.
Your plan's price
Blue Shield of California has many contracts, and your plan uses one of them. Most providers' rates fall in the middle half shown above; the rate for your plan can be higher or lower. For a plan-specific estimate, sign in to Blue Shield's Treatment Cost Estimator.
What you would actually pay
The negotiated rate is the total the provider is paid. Your share depends on your plan. If you have not met your deductible, you usually pay the whole negotiated rate: at a $205 rate, that is $205. Once the deductible is met, coinsurance applies: at 20% coinsurance you would pay $41 and the insurer the rest. Plans with a flat copay for this service charge the copay instead.
Going out of network is different. The provider has no agreed rate with your insurer, so they can usually bill their full listed price. Federal and California law limit that in emergencies, for out-of-network clinicians at in-network hospitals and surgery centers and, under California-regulated plans, at other in-network facilities such as imaging centers and labs. Many HMO and EPO plans pay nothing for out-of-network care.
About a diagnostic mammogram
A mammogram of both breasts done to check a symptom, such as a lump, or to follow up a finding on a screening mammogram. It takes more images than a screening mammogram, and a radiologist often reviews them while you wait. Billing code: CPT 77066.
What the price covers
- Rates here are for the whole service billed as one charge: the scan and the radiologist's reading.
- When it follows up an abnormal screening mammogram, most plans must cover it with no cost to you, for plan years starting in 2026. When it is done to check a symptom, such as a lump, your deductible and coinsurance usually apply.
- A diagnostic mammogram of one breast (CPT 77065) is a different code with a lower price.
Where these numbers come from
Rates come from the price transparency files Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare and Cigna publish. We clean the files before summarizing them and only show an insurer when enough providers report a rate. Medicare figures are from the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule. More on how these pages are built.