Price Checker / CPT 70470
How much does CT scan — head/brain (with and without contrast) cost?
CPT 70470 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is roughly 10x the fair price. This is well above fair — push back or dispute it.
Fair price
$260–$520
What this should cost
With insurance
~$87,300
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$650
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $4,047 is $3,657 over the fair price (about 10x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for CT scan — head/brain (with and without 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindred Hospital Bay Area - St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital Bay Area - Tampa Tampa, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital Central Tampa Tampa, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital Melbourne Melbourne, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital North Florida Green Cove Springs, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital Ocala Ocala, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Coral Gables Coral Gables, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Ft. Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital South Florida - Hollywood Hollywood, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Kindred Hospital The Palm Beaches Riviera Beach, FL | $7,011 | — | 3952% |
| Sedgwick County Health Center Julesburg, CO | $7,151 | — | 3620% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Conroe Conroe, TX | $6,217 | — | 3493% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Bossier City Bossier City, LA | $6,217 | — | 3493% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Huntington Huntington, WV | $6,217 | — | 3493% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Muskogee Muskogee, OK | $6,217 | — | 3493% |
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 (with and without contrast)
CPT code 70470 refers to ct scan — head/brain (with and without contrast) (billing description: "Ct head/brain w/o & w/dye"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $173 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $173 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.