Self-Pay & Uninsured

Paying out of pocket?
Find the lowest hospital price.

The same procedure can cost 3–10x more at one hospital than another in the same city. We show you the real prices hospitals publish — so you can pick the best deal and negotiate from a position of strength.

Real Price Differences — Same City

MRI (Brain)

$350$3,500
Save $3,150

Knee Replacement

$15,000$65,000
Save $50,000

Colonoscopy

$800$4,200
Save $3,400

CT Scan (Abdomen)

$250$2,800
Save $2,550

Based on published hospital prices in the same metro area. Your results will vary by location.

3 Steps

How Self-Pay Patients Use MyCareCost

1

Search your procedure

Type what you need — MRI, knee replacement, colonoscopy — and enter your ZIP code.

2

Compare cash prices

See every hospital near you ranked by price. Filter by distance, quality rating, or price range.

3

Negotiate with confidence

Use our call scripts and market data to ask for a fair price. Most hospitals will negotiate if you know the numbers.

Free — No Account Required

Start Comparing Prices Now

Basic price comparison is completely free. Search any procedure, see cash prices at every hospital near you, and compare quality ratings — no signup needed.

Price Search

Compare cash prices across every hospital in your area. No login required.

Market Benchmarks

See what a fair price looks like — 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile in your region.

Quality Ratings

CMS safety and quality scores alongside prices. Don't just find cheap — find good value.

Total Care Cost Ultra

Negotiation Tools for Self-Pay Patients

Most hospitals will negotiate — especially with self-pay patients. Total Care Cost Ultra ($18/search) gives you the data, scripts, and leverage to get a fair price — pay only when you need it.

Negotiation Call Scripts

Word-for-word scripts customized with your local market data. Know exactly what to say and what price to ask for.

Price Challenge Letters

Generate printable letters citing what nearby hospitals charge. Formal documentation hospitals take seriously.

Leverage Scores

See how strong your negotiating position is and how much room you have to push for a lower price.

Episode-of-Care Estimates

Full cost picture including facility fees, follow-ups, and commonly forgotten charges — before you get surprised.

Self-Pay Guides

Step-by-step playbooks for negotiating as a self-pay patient. Ask for cash-pay discounts, payment plans, and financial assistance.

Bill Comparison

Enter what you were billed and see how it compares to what the hospital publishes. Detect overcharges instantly.

Get Total Care Cost Ultra — $18/search

No monthly subscription — pay per search when you need negotiation tools.

Self-Pay Patient Tips

Even without insurance, you have more leverage than you think.

Always ask for the cash-pay price

Hospitals often have a separate, lower price for patients who pay cash upfront. This is different from the gross charge listed on the chargemaster.

Request an itemized bill

Errors are common. An itemized bill lets you check every charge and dispute anything incorrect.

Compare before you schedule

Price differences of 3-10x for the same procedure in the same city are normal. 15 minutes of research can save thousands.

Ask about financial assistance

Most nonprofit hospitals are required to offer charity care programs. You may qualify for discounts of 50-100% based on income.

Negotiate after the fact

If you already received care, you can still negotiate. Hospitals prefer to collect something rather than send bills to collections.

Use market data in your negotiation

Telling a hospital 'I know three hospitals within 20 miles charge less than $X for this procedure' is far more powerful than 'this seems expensive.'

Where Our Prices Come From

Every price is pulled from hospital-published machine-readable files mandated under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule. This is the only pricing data required by federal law, published by hospitals themselves, and verifiable by anyone.

5,000+

Hospitals

50

States

3–10x

Price Variance

$0

PHI Collected

Stop overpaying for healthcare

Price comparison is free. Start saving today.