Cost of a Chest CT Scan Visit
in Tennessee
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Tennessee's healthcare system serves both urban centers like Nashville and Memphis alongside rural communities across the state's 95 counties, creating notable cost variations for medical imaging services. Patients seeking a Chest CT Scan in Tennessee typically pay between $60.69 and $333.01, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $168.93 based on negotiated insurance rates. With over 2,700 active providers offering chest CT services throughout the state, Tennessee residents have substantial options for accessing affordable imaging care.
Average
$188
Median
$169
Lowest
$61
Highest
$333
Providers
2,701
38% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does ct chest compare to related procedures in Tennessee?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $109 | $319 | $823 | 2,409 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $66 | $195 | $479 | 2,446 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $72 | $188 | $499 | 2,351 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $84 | $247 | $462 | 2,737 |
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 Tennessee
Tennessee's chest CT scan costs run approximately 4% below national averages, reflecting the state's moderate cost of living and competitive healthcare market spanning from metropolitan areas to rural Appalachian communities. The state's geographic diversity creates distinct healthcare ecosystems in major cities versus smaller towns across its 95 counties.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Metropolitan areas like Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville offer numerous imaging options with competitive pricing, while rural counties in East and West Tennessee may have limited facilities requiring longer travel distances. Rural residents often face higher per-scan costs due to lower patient volumes and higher operational expenses at smaller regional hospitals. The concentration of academic medical centers in urban areas provides more specialized imaging services but can command premium pricing.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Large health systems like Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, and Covenant Health operate hospital-based imaging centers with higher overhead costs reflected in their pricing. Independent radiology groups and freestanding imaging centers typically offer more competitive rates due to lower facility expenses and streamlined operations. Ambulatory surgery centers increasingly offer outpatient CT services at rates between independent practices and hospital facilities.
Insurance Market Competition in Tennessee
The presence of major insurers BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, UnitedHealthcare, and Cigna creates moderate competition that helps contain imaging costs through negotiated rate agreements. Tennessee's insurance market concentration allows these major players to leverage their membership size for better provider rates. Limited insurer options in rural markets can result in less competitive pricing and fewer in-network imaging facilities.
Physician Supply and Demand in Tennessee
With over 2,700 providers offering chest CT services statewide, Tennessee maintains adequate imaging capacity in most regions, helping moderate pricing through competition. The concentration of radiologists in urban teaching hospitals versus rural community hospitals creates some geographic pricing disparities. Sufficient provider supply generally translates to reasonable wait times and competitive pricing, though specialized thoracic imaging may require referral to larger medical centers.
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 Tennessee
What is the average cost of a Chest CT Scan visit in Tennessee without insurance?
Does Tennessee Medicaid cover Chest CT Scan visits?
How do I find an affordable Chest CT Scan near me in Tennessee?
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 Tennessee?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Chest CT Scan in Tennessee?
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 |