Guide
How to compare hospital prices by CPT code
The billing code is the most precise way to compare the exact same service across hospitals. Here is the step-by-step, using a real example.
Step 1 — Find the code
Get the CPT or HCPCS code for your service. It appears on your doctor’s order, a hospital price estimate, or a past bill or Explanation of Benefits. CPT codes are five digits (for example 70551 for an MRI of the brain without contrast); HCPCS Level II codes are a letter plus four digits. New to the code systems? Read CPT vs HCPCS vs revenue codes vs NDC.
Step 2 — Open the code page
Type the code into the search box, or open the CPT / HCPCS codes page and search it there. Each code has its own page listing every hospital that publishes a price for that exact code — for example the page for 70551 lines up MRI brain prices side by side.
Step 3 — Read the price range
Near the top, the page states how many hospitals publish a price and the disclosed cash range. Use that to see the spread quickly, then scan the table. Compare the same price type — cash to cash, or the same insurer’s negotiated rate across hospitals — never a cash price against a gross charge.
Step 4 — Check availability, not just the number
The page labels how many hospitals publish an actual price versus how many merely list the service without one. A blank is missing data, not $0 (see why prices are blank). More publishers generally means a more reliable comparison.
Step 5 — Confirm before you act
A published price is a reference point, not your final bill. Once you’ve narrowed it down, confirm your specific cost with the hospital’s billing office and your insurer. For the full method and the traps to avoid, read how to compare hospital prices safely; to compare by service name instead of code, use comparing by procedure.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I find the CPT code for my service?
- It's on your doctor's order, a hospital estimate, or a past bill or Explanation of Benefits. CPT codes are five digits (e.g. 70551); HCPCS Level II codes are a letter plus four digits (e.g. J1745). If you only know the service name, start from the procedure page instead.
- Why compare by code instead of by name?
- A code identifies the exact service — including details like body part and whether contrast is used — so you compare the same thing across hospitals rather than similar-sounding services. Comparing by name alone can mix up different procedures.
- What if a hospital doesn't list a price for the code?
- A blank means the hospital didn't publish a price for that code — never that it's $0. Check other hospitals, or open the hospital's full file. See why prices are blank for more.