Price Checker / CPT 70460
How much does CT scan — head/brain (with contrast) cost?
CPT 70460 · 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–$440
What this should cost
With insurance
~$93,800
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$550
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $3,554 is $3,224 over the fair price (about 11x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for CT scan — head/brain (with 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Muskogee Muskogee, OK | $5,916 | — | 3889% |
| Kindred Hospital Bay Area - St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital Bay Area - Tampa Tampa, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital Central Tampa Tampa, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital Melbourne Melbourne, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital North Florida Green Cove Springs, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital Ocala Ocala, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Coral Gables Coral Gables, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Ft. Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Hollywood Hollywood, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Kindred Hospital The Palm Beaches Riviera Beach, FL | $5,739 | — | 3770% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Broken Arrow Broken Arrow, OK | $5,530 | — | 3629% |
| Solara Specialty Hospital Mcallen Mc Allen, TX | $5,077 | — | 3323% |
| Solara Specialty Hospitals Brownsville Brownsville, TX | $5,077 | — | 3323% |
| Solara Specialty Hospitals Harlingen Harlingen, TX | $5,077 | — | 3323% |
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About CT scan — head/brain (with contrast)
CPT code 70460 refers to ct scan — head/brain (with contrast) (billing description: "Ct head/brain w/dye"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $148 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $148 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.