Cost of a Chest CT Scan Visit
in South Carolina
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
South Carolina's healthcare market features approximately 13% lower Chest CT Scan costs compared to the national average, with patients typically paying between $53.85 and $339.47 based on negotiated insurance rates. With 1,384 active providers across the state offering Chest CT Scan services, patients have substantial options for finding affordable care. Browse all Chest CT Scan providers in South Carolina to compare costs and verify your insurance coverage.
Average
$178
Median
$141
Lowest
$54
Highest
$339
Providers
1,384
41% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does ct chest compare to related procedures in South Carolina?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $82 | $260 | $829 | 1,282 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $58 | $163 | $468 | 1,323 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $63 | $158 | $465 | 1,091 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $80 | $218 | $505 | 1,407 |
Important: These are cost estimates only — not a quote and not medical advice.
The prices on this page are self-pay rates, drawn from federal Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (CPT 71260 — CT chest with contrast). They represent what a patient might pay without insurance.
Your actual cost depends on: your specific insurance plan, your remaining deductible, your coinsurance percentage, whether you have met your out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility and provider are both in-network, and any separate anesthesia or implant fees billed independently.
This page does not constitute medical advice. Whether you need this procedure, and which approach is right for you, is a decision to make with a licensed healthcare provider.
Where this data comes from & what CPT 71260 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 71260 (CT chest with contrast), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 71260 covers: the provider's professional fee for ct chest. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.
How to read this data
Negotiated Rate
The discounted price an insurer has agreed to pay a specific provider. Most insured patients' bills are calculated from this number, not the higher list price hospitals publish separately.
P5, Median, P95
P5 is the rate at the 5th percentile (low end), Median is the middle value, and P95 is the 95th percentile (high end). This range shows how much the same visit can vary between providers.
What this does not tell you
These rates do not tell you what you personally will pay out of pocket. That depends on your specific plan, how much of your deductible you have already met, your coinsurance rate, and whether the provider is in your network. Call your insurer's member line to get your exact estimate.
Why Chest CT Scan Visit Costs Vary Across South Carolina
South Carolina's chest CT scan costs run approximately 1% below national averages, reflecting the state's mix of urban medical centers and rural imaging facilities across the Palmetto State's diverse geography. The presence of major health systems in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville creates competitive pricing pressure while maintaining quality standards.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville metro areas concentrate most of South Carolina's imaging specialists, while rural counties often rely on mobile imaging units or require patients to travel significant distances for chest CT scans. This geographic disparity creates both access challenges and cost variations, with rural facilities sometimes charging premium rates due to limited competition.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient imaging departments at major South Carolina health systems like MUSC Health and Prisma Health typically charge higher rates than independent imaging centers due to facility fees and administrative overhead. Freestanding imaging centers throughout the state often provide the same quality chest CT scans at 20-40% lower costs than hospital-affiliated locations.
Insurance Market Competition in South Carolina
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina holds the largest market share, followed by UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, creating moderate insurer competition that influences negotiated rates for chest CT scans. This three-way competition helps keep imaging costs reasonable compared to states with less insurer diversity, though rural areas may have fewer network options.
Physician Supply and Demand in South Carolina
With 1,384 active providers offering chest CT scan services, South Carolina maintains adequate imaging capacity relative to its population of approximately 5.2 million residents. This robust provider network prevents significant supply shortages that could drive up costs, though specialty radiologists with thoracic expertise remain concentrated in major metropolitan areas.
Jayant Panwar
CEO, Momentary Labs · San Francisco, CA
Jayant has analyzed healthcare pricing data from CMS Transparency in Coverage files since 2022, covering more than 50 million negotiated rate records across all 50 states. His work focuses on making insurer machine-readable files accessible to patients and researchers.
The cost figures on this page reflect his ongoing work to make this data accessible to patients.
Frequently Asked Questions — Chest CT Scan Costs in South Carolina
What is the average cost of a Chest CT Scan visit in South Carolina without insurance?
Does South Carolina Medicaid cover Chest CT Scan visits?
How do I find an affordable Chest CT Scan near me in South Carolina?
What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?
Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for a Chest CT Scan visit in South Carolina?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Chest CT Scan in South Carolina?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 71260)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota Range: $118 – $7,881 | $2,723 |
| 2 | Minnesota Range: $80 – $7,881 | $2,711 |
| 3 | Wisconsin Range: $73 – $863 | $363 |
| 4 | Georgia Range: $61 – $699 | $319 |
| 5 | Wyoming Range: $54 – $598 | $287 |
| 6 | Nevada Range: $80 – $453 | $272 |
| 7 | Maine Range: $93 – $439 | $262 |
| 8 | Nebraska Range: $108 – $415 | $246 |
| 9 | Hawaii Range: $67 – $348 | $243 |
| 10 | New Mexico Range: $52 – $505 | $242 |
| 11 | Iowa Range: $73 – $424 | $237 |
| 12 | Vermont Range: $49 – $516 | $236 |
| 13 | North Carolina Range: $60 – $443 | $233 |
| 14 | New Hampshire Range: $67 – $446 | $232 |
| 15 | Massachusetts Range: $64 – $454 | $230 |
| 16 | Rhode Island Range: $54 – $454 | $226 |
| 17 | Alaska Range: $54 – $449 | $224 |
| 18 | District of Columbia Range: $49 – $454 | $223 |
| 19 | Colorado Range: $55 – $441 | $218 |
| 20 | Utah Range: $54 – $374 | $212 |
| 21 | California Range: $25 – $521 | $210 |
| 22 | Indiana Range: $54 – $411 | $206 |
| 23 | New York Range: $42 – $443 | $205 |
| 24 | Washington Range: $54 – $384 | $203 |
| 25 | Michigan Range: $57 – $356 | $195 |
| 26 | Illinois Range: $64 – $346 | $192 |
| 27 | Tennessee Range: $61 – $333 | $188 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania Range: $50 – $389 | $185 |
| 29 | West Virginia Range: $64 – $317 | $184 |
| 30 | Virginia Range: $41 – $371 | $182 |
| 31 | Idaho Range: $54 – $321 | $182 |
| 32 | New Jersey Range: $41 – $371 | $181 |
| 33 | Connecticut Range: $54 – $389 | $179 |
| 34 | Texas Range: $54 – $345 | $178 |
| 35 | South Carolina Range: $54 – $339 | $178 |
| 36 | Kansas Range: $59 – $324 | $178 |
| 37 | Oregon Range: $70 – $291 | $177 |
| 38 | South Dakota Range: $134 – $222 | $175 |
| 39 | Alabama Range: $48 – $332 | $173 |
| 40 | Delaware Range: $61 – $273 | $170 |
| 41 | Louisiana Range: $48 – $288 | $169 |
| 42 | Kentucky Range: $54 – $335 | $169 |
| 43 | Arkansas Range: $61 – $278 | $164 |
| 44 | Montana Range: $54 – $263 | $163 |
| 45 | Maryland Range: $24 – $335 | $161 |
| 46 | Mississippi Range: $48 – $307 | $160 |
| 47 | Missouri Range: $64 – $265 | $159 |
| 48 | Oklahoma Range: $51 – $298 | $154 |
| 49 | Ohio Range: $41 – $298 | $154 |
| 50 | Arizona Range: $54 – $267 | $145 |
| 51 | Florida Range: $35 – $297 | $131 |