Blue Shield of California screening mammogram cost in California (2026): what Blue Shield of California pays
Blue Shield of California screening mammogram cost in California, 2026: Blue Shield of California's California median for a screening mammogram at doctors' offices and imaging centers is $172. By area, its median runs from $153 (Los Angeles) to $175 (San Francisco and Oakland). That is below the typical rate, $182, across the insurers other than Anthem. Original Medicare pays $145 to $172.
Blue Shield of California rate by area
| Area | Blue Shield of California median, middle half | Billing entities | Typical (excl. Anthem) | Original Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $175 $153 to $227 | 59 | $178 | $169 |
| Oakland | $175 $159 to $314 | 46 | $203 | $169 |
| San Jose | $169 $153 to $293 | 84 | $180 | $172 |
| Los Angeles | $153 $153 to $198 | 242 | $171 | $145 |
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.
About a screening mammogram
A routine screening mammogram of both breasts for someone without symptoms. A diagnostic mammogram, done to check a lump or follow up a finding, is a different code with different rules. Billing code: CPT 77067.
What the price covers
- Rates here are for the whole service billed as one charge: the scan and the radiologist's reading.
- Under the Affordable Care Act, most plans must cover a screening mammogram with no cost to you for women 40 and older when you use an in-network provider. The rates on this page are what the insurer pays the provider, not your share.
- For plan years starting in 2026, most plans must also cover any additional imaging needed to finish the screening, such as a follow-up diagnostic mammogram after an abnormal result, with no cost to you.
- 3D mammography (tomosynthesis) is billed as an add-on code (77063) on top of this one.
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.