US Healthcare Cost Table
Figures are USD estimates for uninsured / cash-pay or pre-deductible billed care. Low ≈ freestanding cash prices. High ≈ hospital list prices. Typical is the mid estimate used on your receipt.
List of services
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP appointmentPrimary care cash visits commonly $100–$300. | $100 | $175 | $300 |
| GP telephone or video appointmentTelehealth cash visits often $40–$90; higher for specialty virtual care. | $40 | $75 | $150 |
| Practice nurse appointmentNurse visits sit below physician rates; hospital-affiliated clinics charge more. | $70 | $120 | $220 |
| Specialist or consultant appointmentSpecialist consultations typically $150–$500 without insurance. | $150 | $300 | $500 |
| Physiotherapy sessionSelf-pay PT sessions commonly $75–$350. | $75 | $150 | $350 |
| Talking therapy sessionPrivate psychotherapy sessions commonly $100–$300. | $100 | $175 | $300 |
| PrescriptionCash retail fills vary widely; generics often low, branded drugs much higher. | $15 | $60 | $250 |
| Contraceptive prescriptionOral contraceptives and similar scripts at cash retail. | $15 | $50 | $150 |
| Blood testIndependent labs often $50–$200; hospital panels can exceed $500. | $50 | $150 | $500 |
| Urine testSimple urinalysis cash prices are usually modest; hospital add-ons raise bills. | $20 | $55 | $150 |
| ECGOffice ECGs can be under $100; hospital facility fees push totals higher. | $50 | $200 | $500 |
| X-rayNational median cash X-ray ~$65 at freestanding clinics; hospital imaging is far higher. | $65 | $280 | $1,000 |
| UltrasoundMedian cash ultrasound ~$150; hospital outpatient imaging commonly several hundred to $1,000+. | $150 | $450 | $1,200 |
| MRI scanMedian cash MRI ~$600; large-employer hospital outpatient MRI historically ~$1,300+; list prices often $2,000–$5,000. | $400 | $1,400 | $3,500 |
| CT scanMedian cash CT ~$375; hospital list and commercial rates commonly much higher. | $300 | $900 | $2,700 |
| NHS 111 callUS nurse advice / triage lines are often subscription or visit-based; estimate mirrors a brief nurse visit. | $35 | $80 | $175 |
| Ambulance journeyGround BLS/ALS base charges commonly ~$800–$2,500 plus mileage. | $800 | $1,400 | $2,800 |
| A&E visitED facility list prices alone often ~$700–$1,800 by acuity; physician fees, labs and imaging push totals into the thousands. | $900 | $2,200 | $6,000 |
| Outpatient hospital appointmentHospital outpatient visits include facility fees above a clinic consult. | $220 | $480 | $1,100 |
| Minor procedureOffice vs hospital outpatient site-of-service can double or triple the bill. | $650 | $1,600 | $3,800 |
| Outpatient surgeryASC cash prices are lower; hospital outpatient surgery bills commonly run several thousand dollars. | $2,500 | $6,500 | $15,000 |
| Major surgeryCommon inpatient surgeries often bill in the tens of thousands before insurance adjustments. | $10,000 | $25,000 | $60,000 |
| Overnight hospital stayHealthCare.gov cites ~$30,000 for a 3-day stay (~$10,000/day billed scale); hospital expense/day averages ~$3,000. | $1,500 | $3,500 | $10,000 |
| Maternity or birthAverage prenatal + delivery + postpartum ~$18,865; uninsured vaginal ~$13k, C-section ~$23k+. | $8,000 | $19,000 | $35,000 |
| VaccinationCash vaccine prices vary by antigen; travel and specialty vaccines cost more. | $40 | $110 | $280 |
Key published benchmarks
- $30,000 — HealthCare.gov average for a 3-day hospital stay.
- $18,865 — average US prenatal care + delivery + postpartum.
- $600 — national median cash MRI; hospital outpatient employer-plan MRI historically ~$1,335.
- $696 / $1,189 / $1,784 — median hospital list prices for ED facility fees alone (CPT 99283–99285).
- $800–$2,500 — typical ground ambulance base charge before mileage.
- $100–$300 — common cash primary-care visit; specialists often $150–$500.
Sources are public price guides, CMS transparency research, KFF/HealthCare.gov benchmarks and cash-pay market medians. See how we calculate for method.