CT scan cost in California with insurance (2026): what insurers pay
CT scan cost in California with insurance, 2026: insurers pay a typical $202 to $450 for a CT scan at doctors' offices and imaging centers, depending on what is scanned and whether contrast is used. Typical rates: CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast $450, head CT $202, chest CT $261, lung cancer screening CT $206. Rates from the published files of Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare and Cigna, in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Los Angeles.
CT scan prices by type
| Scan | Typical rate | By insurer and area | Original Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast CPT 74177 | $450 | $391 to $694 | $345 to $409 |
| Head CT CPT 70450 | $202 | $145 to $268 | $121 to $142 |
| Chest CT CPT 71250 | $261 | $205 to $359 | $151 to $177 |
| Lung cancer screening CT CPT 71271 | $206 | $162 to $321 | $155 to $182 |
Typical rate: the middle of the insurer medians across areas, leaving out Anthem's rate menu. By insurer and area: the lowest to highest insurer median in any one area, including Anthem. Original Medicare varies by area.
What each insurer pays
| Scan | Anthem Blue Cross | Blue Shield of California | Aetna | UnitedHealthcare | Cigna |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast | $493 | $447 | $412 | $469 | $516 |
| Head CT | $220 | $165 | $220 | $185 | $233 |
| Chest CT | $285 | $233 | $272 | $251 | $312 |
| Lung cancer screening CT | $213 | $178 | $185 | $214 | $246 |
Each insurer's figure is the middle of its area medians. Anthem Blue Cross figures reflect the menu of rates Anthem lists across its contracts, not contract-specific prices (why), so the typical rate leaves Anthem out. Kaiser Permanente is not listed: most Kaiser care is prepaid inside its own system, and it does not publish usable per-service rates.
Why CT scan prices vary
- The body part. A head CT and a CT of the abdomen and pelvis are different codes, and the abdomen and pelvis scan covers two areas in one.
- Contrast dye. Scans with contrast are billed under different codes and are paid more than the same scan without it.
- Screening or diagnosis. A lung cancer screening CT is preventive care: most plans cover it with no cost to you when you meet the screening criteria and use an in-network provider.
- Where you get it. Insurers usually pay freestanding imaging centers far less than hospital outpatient departments for the same scan.
Paying without insurance
The rates on this page are what insurers pay in network, not cash prices. If you are paying yourself, they are still a useful benchmark: ask the provider for its self-pay price before you book and compare it with these rates. Many freestanding imaging centers post cash prices for scans. Hospitals must publish a discounted cash price under federal price transparency rules, and if you are uninsured or paying yourself, the No Surprises Act entitles you to a written good faith estimate before scheduled care.
Get the price for your exact plan
An insurer has many contracts, and each plan uses one of them. The figures on this page cover all of an insurer's contracts in the area. The price for your plan depends on which one applies, and that is set by your employer or, if you buy your own coverage, by the plan you chose. The plan name is on your insurance card.
Your insurer's own cost tool gives a plan-specific estimate once you sign in:
- Anthem Blue Cross: Anthem's Find Care and cost estimates
- Blue Shield of California: Blue Shield's Treatment Cost Estimator
- Aetna: Aetna's Find Care cost estimates
- UnitedHealthcare: UnitedHealthcare's price transparency tool
- Cigna: the myCigna cost estimator (sign in)
AI assistants can look it up too. Arlo's free price transparency API and the Arlo MCP server for Claude and ChatGPT take a service, a ZIP code and a plan, and return nearby in-network providers with their negotiated rates.
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.