Methodology & data sources

Transparency is the core of our E-E-A-T: this page documents where our price estimates come from, how the typical / lower-cost / higher-cost ranges are derived, how often they are refreshed, and the limitations you should keep in mind.

Current data status

The price figures on the site are estimates compiled from published consumer price-transparency sources: 12 procedure-by-metro combinations covering 4 procedures across 3 metros. For each we publish a typical estimate plus lower-cost and higher-cost estimates. They are estimates to compare against, not per-hospital quotes — your exact price varies by hospital, setting and insurer, and should be confirmed against the hospital's price-transparency machine-readable file.

Where the data comes from

We compile our estimates from authoritative, published consumer price benchmarks rather than parsing raw hospital files ourselves. Imaging and outpatient figures (brain MRI, diagnostic colonoscopy) lean on Sidecar Health's state-level cash-price guides and CMS/Medicare's Procedure Price Lookup, cross-checked against published hospital cash-price analyses. Inpatient figures (vaginal delivery, knee replacement) lean on FAIR Health's Cost of Giving Birth tracker, the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker and published national surgery-cost ranges. Our sources:

How we derive each range

1. Collect published benchmarks for each procedure: a national figure plus state-level figures for the states our metros sit in (NY, TX, CO), from the sources above.
2. Anchor the typical estimate on the most representative published figure for that procedure and state — e.g. Sidecar Health's state cash price for imaging/outpatient, or FAIR Health / Peterson-KFF medians for inpatient episodes.
3. Set the lower- and higher-cost estimates from the published spread — e.g. freestanding-vs-hospital-outpatient ranges for imaging, ambulatory-surgery-center-vs-inpatient ranges for surgery — rounded to avoid false precision.
4. Note the scope of each figure: facility/procedure cash price (imaging, outpatient) vs broader all-in / total-cost (inpatient), since they are not directly comparable.
5. Round & label as estimates, and cite the sources used on every page.

Because we use a metro's state-level benchmark, a metro within a high- or low-cost part of its state may differ from these figures — treat the numbers as a starting point for comparison, not a guaranteed local price.

What the three estimates mean

For each procedure and metro we report a lower-cost estimate (toward the low end of published prices), a typical estimate (a middle-of-the-range price) and a higher-cost estimate (toward the high end). The gap between the lower- and higher-cost estimate is the most useful number for shopping — a wide spread means it is worth comparing facilities and asking for a self-pay or negotiated quote.

Limitations

• Imaging and outpatient figures (MRI, colonoscopy) estimate the facility/procedure cash price only; physician, anesthesia and radiologist-read fees are usually billed separately. Inpatient figures (childbirth, knee replacement) are broader all-in estimates whose exact inclusions vary.
• Estimates are anchored on state-level and national benchmarks, so a specific metro or hospital can fall outside the range shown.
• Published price data is inconsistent in scope and timing and may lag current prices.
• A self-pay or benchmark price is not the same as what you will owe with insurance — use the out-of-pocket estimator for that.
• For the exact price at a given hospital, consult that hospital's CMS-required price-transparency machine-readable file and confirm with your insurer.

Always verify against the hospital and your insurer before relying on any figure. See our disclaimer.

Last updated: 2026-06-13