Price Checker / CPT 70450
How much does CT scan — head/brain (no contrast) cost?
CPT 70450 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 13x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$160–$320
What this should cost
With insurance
~$84,100
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$400
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $3,062 is $2,822 over the fair price (about 13x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for CT scan — head/brain (no contrast)
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps Hospital SLEEPY HOLLOW, NY | — | $272 | 15103% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Conroe Conroe, TX | $11,657 | — | 10840% |
| Stone County Medical Center MOUNTAIN VIEW, AR | $300 | — | 9942% |
| Baptist Health Princeton Hospital , AL | $9,676 | $7,257 | 8981% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Little Rock Little Rock, AR | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Austin Austin, TX | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Broken Arrow Broken Arrow, OK | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Huntington Huntington, WV | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Muskogee Muskogee, OK | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Round Rock Round Rock, TX | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Southwest Louisiana Lake Charles, LA | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Tucson Tucson, AZ | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals West Monroe West Monroe, LA | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Solara Specialty Hospital Mcallen Mc Allen, TX | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
| Solara Specialty Hospitals Brownsville Brownsville, TX | $5,695 | — | 5245% |
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 CT scan — head/brain (no contrast)
CPT code 70450 refers to ct scan — head/brain (no contrast) (billing description: "Ct head/brain w/o dye"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $107 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $107 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.