How much does an ultrasound cost?

[HannahW]

Hubby and I are planing a himebirth for our second... First one was in a haspital... Trying to figure out the $... Found a great midwife and assistant for $3000... Any ideas how much an ultrasound is/was for you? I am seven weeks and would want a u/s if Feb so trying to plan ahead for cost... Any help would be great!

[XanaduMama]

Do you have insurance? Even if they won't pay for a homebirth, they should cover an ultrasound, at least in part. I believe they're usually a couple hundred dollars--perhaps around $300?

[tracymom1]

An out of pocket ultrasound -the 20 week one - was around $600.

[stellabluz]

paid outta pocket for my midwife, but also qualified for state low-income medical coverage. ii used that for all my bloodwork and ultrasound/nst @42 weeks. I saw the bill for that before medi-cal processed it and it was $1300 for the nst/ultrasound/back up doc visit. insane, no wonder everything is so jacked.

maybe that is an option for you...? It's also wonderful in case of a transfer and any applied medical costs there~

[sweetBBkendall]

I'm currently going to school to be an ultrasound tech. Here's what my online lecture had to say...

Examinations cost between $250.00 for a renal ultrasound to approximately $800.00 for a complete fetal survey.

 You could also go without the ultrasound but I know I couldn't not know the sex. Good luck. Hope this helps...

[happyblessedmama]

I just got our private insurance EOB from my 20 week ultrasound. Preinsurance cost was $579. It was a standard fetal anatomy scan.

[jessicaink]

For one of my ultrasounds, I paid $300 for it. I'm not sure if it was because I had not met my deductible yet, or if that was just my share of the cost. If you have health insurance, it should be able to be covered at least in part.

[Fly Girl]

Just got my bill from my insurance. $531 for the 20 week ultrasound. Insurance paid about $300 and I still owe $200. But there is a great ultrasound place here that charges $290 for the anatomy ultrasound.

[Mulvah]

First, check with your insurance to see if they will cover it.  If they will not or if you will have to meet a high deductible, call around.  I live in a very high COL area and the cash/self-pay discount price for ultrasounds (20-week) spanned a very huge difference from under $200 to over $1000, all from reputable imaging centers (not centers that only determine the gender).  It's pretty disgusting, if you ask me.

[HannahW]

Thanks everyone! I think I am just going to have to call for prices and check out my insurence (I do not have the maternity rider, but I also have not been diagnosed pregnant, so I might still be able to get it).

[Peony]

If you are thinking of adding the maternity rider, usually there are waiting periods before they will cover a pg. Like add the rider and wait months to a year before coverage will start. 

[stephbrownthinks]

Originally Posted by Mulvah 

First, check with your insurance to see if they will cover it.  If they will not or if you will have to meet a high deductible, call around.  I live in a very high COL area and the cash/self-pay discount price for ultrasounds (20-week) spanned a very huge difference from under $200 to over $1000, all from reputable imaging centers (not centers that only determine the gender).  It's pretty disgusting, if you ask me.

Yes to this post! Last pregnancy I started off with an OBGYN/CNM practice and the place they referred out the 20 week ultrasound to an imaging center that was a preferred provider for my insurance. I had a high ded. and it cost me $1000 AFTER my insurance adjusted the amount they were allowed to bill. This pregnancy my Midwife sent me to a different place, also a preferred provider, and they billed like $500. It was the same insurance plan for both.

[babycatcher12]

A little off topic, but did your midwife have to order your u/s? My insurance doesn't recognize my CM as a "healthcare provider" so won't accept an order from her, but I don't want to have to go to my family practice doc to get an order for a u/s. 

[stephbrownthinks]

My midwife did order the ultrasound. I would think that would be fine in your situation, because she wouldn't be the "healthcare provider," the ultrasound place would be so as long as they were a preferred provider your insurance company wouldn't care? Just a guess.

[Nicole730]

I'm in the same boat as you are.  My homebirth midwife told me she knows of a clinic an hour away that does them for $175, so I will probably go there.  I'm going to call my ob/gyn first though and see what it would cost to go there.  I was assuming it would be around $500.

[redbirdlady]

I had mine done during my required visit to the backup OB.  After insurance, it was about $200.  My cousin had a baby born with a heart defect that was detected at the 20-week anatomical ultrasound, so, for me, it was a non-negotiable to have it done no matter the cost.

[sally21heather]

Well, depends greatly on payment method. If its a level II with private insurance about 800-1000 or normal ultrasound at 20 weeks with self pay 150 cash.

[DayDreamer2]

My u/s @ 23 weeks was $120 cash.

[go_blue]

It also depends on your age.  I used a mw, with a family doc as back-up (the mw cannot order u.s. in my state, only a doc).  Since I was of "advanced maternal age" (36), I was sent to a neo-natal specialist and my u.s. cost around $1200!!!  Totally unecessary expense since I only cared about placenta position and heart chambers, but I didn't realize that there were differences in u.s. procedures.  If I get another u.s. for another baby, I will insist that doc order me a standard u.s. which should cost a few hundred.

[Norabella]

My 8wk u/s (3 m/c prior to this pg) was $620, insurance adjusted that amount to $527, which I paid OOP because we hadn't met our deductible. And, my CPM is not able to order an u/s, I had to have 1 appt with the CNM at the OB practice in order to get the u/s ordered.