If you are paying out of pocket in the United States, you are a self-pay patient — and the cash price a US hospital publishes is your price. No US insurance, residency, or citizenship is needed to pay it. Every figure here comes from the hospital's own price transparency file, required under 45 CFR § 180.
Median published self-pay price across all US hospitals reporting each code. Individual hospitals vary widely — often by more than 10× — which is the whole reason to compare before you book.
| Procedure | US median cash price |
|---|---|
| MRI Brain CPT 70551 | $1,825 |
| MRI Lower Back CPT 72148 | $1,972 |
| MRI Knee CPT 73721 | $1,837 |
| CT Head CPT 70450 | $1,152 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CPT 74177 | $2,528 |
| Hip Replacement CPT 27130 | $9,162 |
| Knee Replacement CPT 27447 | $9,068 |
| Knee Arthroscopy CPT 29881 | $3,804 |
| Cataract Surgery CPT 66984 | $3,173 |
| Colonoscopy CPT 45378 | $1,386 |
| Gallbladder Removal CPT 47562 | $4,053 |
| Hernia Repair CPT 49505 | $3,618 |
| Echocardiogram CPT 93306 | $1,534 |
| Sleep Study CPT 95810 | $2,711 |
Yes. US hospitals publish a self-pay or cash price for patients who pay directly rather than billing a US insurance plan. There is no residency or citizenship requirement to pay that price. Every figure on this site comes from the hospital's own federally mandated transparency file.
Headline US figures usually quote the chargemaster or an insured claim total. The self-pay price is a separate, typically far lower published rate. It is the number that matters if you are paying out of pocket.
Ask the hospital for a written all-in quote for your specific case, confirm what the price does and does not include, and ask what records they need from your Canadian physician. Also confirm how they handle payment and whether a deposit is required.
Usually only with prior approval, and usually at provincial rates rather than what the US hospital charges. Contact your provincial ministry of health before you travel — do not assume reimbursement.
All prices on this site are in US dollars, exactly as the hospital published them. Convert at the rate you will actually pay, and remember that card issuers and banks add their own foreign exchange spread.
These pages cover the procedures with the longest provincial wait times. For any other procedure, browse all procedures or prices by state.