Price Checker / CPT 51701
How much does Insert Bladder Catheter cost?
CPT 51701 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 11x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$220–$260
What this should cost
With insurance
~$71,500
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$330
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $2,743 is $2,503 over the fair price (about 11x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Insert Bladder Catheter
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTH Dyersburg Hospital , TN | — | $40 | 27859% |
| University of New Mexico Hospital , NM | $215 | — | 18630% |
| UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center , NM | $215 | — | 18630% |
| SOUTHERN HILLS HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER Las Vegas, NV | — | — | 14122% |
| THE WOMANS HOSPITAL OF TEXAS Houston, TX | — | — | 12757% |
| MOUNTAINVIEW HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER Las Vegas, NV | — | — | 11582% |
| University Hospitals Conneaut Medical Center CONNEAUT, OH | — | — | 5507% |
| University Hospitals Geneva Medical Center , OH | — | — | 5507% |
| Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola (Sacred Heart Health System, Inc.) , FL | — | — | 4102% |
| Studer Family Children's Hospital Ascension Sacred Heart (Sacred Heart Health System, Inc.) , FL | — | — | 4102% |
| Fairmont Hospital San Leandro, CA | $1,646 | — | 2618% |
| UM R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center Baltimore, MD | $663 | — | 1360% |
| Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute Harrisburg, PA | $732 | — | 1189% |
| Medical Center Barbour EUFAULA, AL | $532 | $266 | 1071% |
| Iroquois Memorial Hospital WATSEKA, IL | $393 | $275 | 765% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
Send us your bill and we'll compare every line item against Medicare rates and your hospital's published prices. Free review, no obligation.
About Insert Bladder Catheter
CPT code 51701 refers to insert bladder catheter (billing description: "Insert bladder catheter"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $22 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $45 in a doctor's office.
The Medicare rate is the closest thing to an objective "what this work is actually worth." A fair cash price for the uninsured is generally 1.5–3x that rate. Hospital sticker (gross) charges are often far higher — but almost nobody actually pays them.
What to do if you were overcharged
- 1Send us your bill — we'll identify this code and compare it against the rates shown above.
- 2Get a dispute letter — citing the Medicare rate and your hospital's own published pricing data.
- 3We negotiate for you — 25% of savings, no savings = no fee.