Compare Hospital Prices in Phoenix: Cash vs. Insurance Rates

Phoenix Hospital Prices: Key Findings

Hospital prices in Phoenix for a transforaminal epidural injection (CPT 64483) range from $118 at St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center to $33,142 at Hospital Development of West Phoenix. That range creates a 281x price spread across seven reporting facilities. You can compare hospital prices in Phoenix on FairVisitHealth before booking care. The median cash price for a transforaminal epidural injection across Phoenix hospitals is $954. The national median cash price for a transforaminal epidural injection is $1,219 across 861 price records according to FairVisitHealth price data.

Source: FairVisitHealth price data (2026)

Price variations appear across many common outpatient treatments in Maricopa County. An upper GI endoscopy with biopsy (CPT 43239) ranges from $147 at St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center to $31,207 at Vhs of Arrowhead. That represents a 213x price spread across nine reporting hospitals. The Phoenix median cash price for an upper GI endoscopy with biopsy is $1,250. The national median cash price for an upper GI endoscopy with biopsy is $1,316 across 1,739 records according to FairVisitHealth price data.

Patients needing a colonoscopy with biopsy (CPT 45380) face cash prices ranging from $213 at St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center to $30,434 at Vhs Acquisition Subsidiary Number 1. Eight reporting hospitals generate a 143.1x price spread for a colonoscopy with biopsy. The Phoenix median cash price for a colonoscopy with biopsy is $5,377. The national median cash price for a colonoscopy with biopsy is $1,792 across 1,776 price records according to FairVisitHealth price data. A diagnostic colonoscopy (CPT 45378) spans from $152 at St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center to $13,712 at Vhs Acquisition Subsidiary Number 1, representing a 90.2x spread across seven facilities. The median cash price in Phoenix for a diagnostic colonoscopy is $7,848, compared to a national median of $1,498 across 1,875 price records according to FairVisitHealth price data.

Major orthopedic surgeries show large pricing disparities between competing facilities. Total hip replacement (CPT 27130) cash prices range from $1,428 at St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center to $73,023 at Vhs of Phoenix. Nine local hospitals produce a 51.1x price spread for total hip replacement. Total knee replacement (CPT 27447) cash prices run from $1,426 at St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center to $63,824 at Vhs of Arrowhead. Nine local facilities create a 44.7x price spread for total knee replacement. Both joint replacement procedures carry a Phoenix median cash price equal to the national median cash price. The Phoenix median cash price is $19,000 for total hip replacement across 1,630 national records and $17,500 for total knee replacement across 1,677 national records according to FairVisitHealth price data. Knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy (CPT 29881) ranges from $568 at St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center to $23,519 at Vhs Acquisition Subsidiary Number 1 across six facilities. Knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy shows a 41.4x price spread with a Phoenix median cash price of $9,416 compared to the national median cash price of $5,264 across 1,577 records according to FairVisitHealth price data.

Routine laboratory tests also demonstrate large price gaps in Maricopa County. A comprehensive metabolic panel (CPT 80053) ranges from $11 at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center to $882 at Vhs of Arrowhead across twelve facilities. A comprehensive metabolic panel shows an 83.6x price spread, while both the Phoenix median cash price and national median cash price sit at $33 across 1,750 records according to FairVisitHealth price data.

Federal regulations mandate price transparency for all acute care hospitals. Under 45 CFR §180.60, hospitals must display pricing for at least 300 shoppable services in a consumer-friendly online display according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Under CMS regulations codified at 45 CFR §180.90, maximum non-compliance penalties for hospital price transparency reach $2,007,500 per year for large facilities according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Under CMS price transparency enforcement rules, hospitals with over 550 beds face a maximum daily penalty of $5,500 for failing to disclose rates according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Six Phoenix-area hospital facilities received formal warning notices or corrective action requests from CMS regarding price transparency non-compliance according to AZ Free News.

Hospital Prices in Phoenix Data Report

Comparing hospital prices in Phoenix across eighteen common outpatient procedures reveals cash price spreads up to 281x between facilities.

Source: FairVisitHealth price data (2026)

Procedure (CPT)	Hospitals	Lowest cash price	Median	Highest	Spread
Transforaminal epidural injection (64483)	7	$118	$954	$33,142	281x
Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy (43239)	9	$147	$1,250	$31,207	213x
Colonoscopy with biopsy (45380)	8	$213	$5,377	$30,434	143.1x
Diagnostic colonoscopy (45378)	7	$152	$7,848	$13,712	90.2x
Comprehensive metabolic panel (80053)	12	$11	$33	$882	83.6x
Total hip replacement (27130)	9	$1,428	$19,000	$73,023	51.1x
Total knee replacement (27447)	9	$1,426	$17,500	$63,824	44.7x
Knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy (29881)	6	$568	$9,416	$23,519	41.4x
MRI brain without contrast (70551)	12	$258	$1,100	$5,684	22.1x
New patient office visit, 30 min (99203)	5	$180	$576	$3,931	21.9x
Basic metabolic panel (80048)	7	$52	$560	$706	13.5x
Complete blood count with differential (85025)	5	$23	$57	$133	5.9x
Urinalysis with microscopy (81001)	7	$37	$162	$193	5.2x
New patient office visit, 45 min (99204)	5	$345	$862	$1,622	4.7x
Established patient office visit, 30 min (99214)	5	$110	$110	$397	3.6x
Established patient office visit, 20 min (99213)	6	$75	$75	$262	3.5x
CT abdomen and pelvis without contrast (74176)	7	$258	$700	$700	2.7x
CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast (74177)	6	$381	$900	$900	2.4x

Hospital (Phoenix, AZ, Transforaminal epidural injection 64483)	Cash price	Negotiated median (3+ payers)	Gross charge
St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center	$118	n/a	$3,628
Chandler Regional Medical Center	$118	n/a	$2,641
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center	$949	$949	$949
Arizona General Hospital Laveen	$954	$954	$963
Vhs of Arrowhead	$1,127	n/a	n/a
Vhs of Phoenix	$1,299	n/a	n/a
Hospital Development of West Phoenix	$33,142	n/a	n/a

What the Spread Means for a Self-Pay Patient

Wide price spreads across Phoenix facilities mean uninsured patients pay drastically different amounts for identical medical care depending on which hospital they choose. For a transforaminal epidural injection (CPT 64483), St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center and Chandler Regional Medical Center list a cash price of $118. Mercy Gilbert Medical Center lists a cash price of $949. Arizona General Hospital Laveen lists $954. Vhs of Arrowhead lists $1,127. Vhs of Phoenix lists $1,299. Hospital Development of West Phoenix lists $33,142. A patient who books care without comparing hospital rates faces charges hundreds of times higher than necessary.

Source: FairVisitHealth price data (2026)

When evaluating medical costs, self-pay patients should remember that the number is not final. Review state databases to understand hospital billing practices. The Arizona Department of Health Services launched the AZ Hospital Compare database to allow consumers to analyze inpatient charges and outcomes across state facilities according to the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS). Arizona's dispute resolution framework provides protections through the SOONBDR program for patients experiencing surprise out-of-network balance billing according to CareRoute. If a high bill arrives, search FairVisitHealth to verify published rates.

Financial assistance policies offer lower rates for qualifying uninsured residents. Maricopa County residents with income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level qualify for 100% free charity care at Valleywise Health according to CareRoute. Valleywise Health offers a Good Faith Estimate contact line at (602) 344-1866 to inform uninsured patients of expected non-emergency healthcare expenses according to Valleywise Health.

How to Use These Numbers

Self-pay patients use published hospital cash prices to negotiate fair medical bills before receiving treatment or after receiving an invoice. Before scheduling care, call the hospital billing office and ask for the direct cash price using the procedure CPT code. Request written confirmation of the quoted cash price before your appointment. Read about pricing rules in our guide on how cash prices work.

Source: FairVisitHealth price data (2026)

Compare your price quote against the median cash price in your metropolitan area. If the quoted charge exceeds the local median, present published hospital cash prices to request a lower rate. Use our structured bill negotiation strategies when contacting hospital billing staff. If an unexpected invoice arrives, click Check My Bill on our site to review your charges.

Federal law grants specific protections to self-pay patients scheduling non-emergency procedures. Under federal No Surprises Act rules at 45 CFR §149.610, uninsured or self-pay patients have the right to receive a written Good Faith Estimate before non-emergency care according to Itemized. If the final bill exceeds the written Good Faith Estimate by $400 or more per provider, file a dispute within 120 calendar days of receiving the bill.

Methodology and Limitations

The FairVisitHealth dataset analyzes 997 hospital-disclosed price rows across 39 named Phoenix hospitals from machine-readable files captured on September 14, 2026. The target field is the disclosed discounted cash price per CPT code across facility medians, with name variants deduplicated. Metropolitan membership is determined by 3-digit ZIP prefix. Data summary rows require five or more reporting hospitals. The price spread represents the highest cash price divided by the lowest cash price. Negotiated medians appear only when backed by three or more payers according to FairVisitHealth price data.

Source: FairVisitHealth price data (2026)

File disclosure dates span from 2021 through 2026, and listed rates represent facility fees. Certain low prices might represent component fees rather than total procedure charges.

Download the Data

Download the full Phoenix hospital pricing dataset in CSV format directly from FairVisitHealth for independent research. Access the raw dataset at FairVisitHealth price data. The data is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) and cited as FairVisitHealth, 2026.

FAQs

How much does a hospital stay cost without insurance in Phoenix?

Inpatient hospital stays without insurance in Phoenix depend on the facility and the specific treatment required. Major surgical treatments like total hip replacement carry a median cash price of $19,000, but cash rates range from $1,428 to $73,023 across local hospitals according to FairVisitHealth price data. Patients should request a written price estimate prior to admission whenever possible.

What is direct pay pricing at Phoenix hospitals?

Direct pay pricing is the discounted cash rate a hospital charges patients who pay directly without filing an insurance claim. In Phoenix, direct pay prices are frequently lower than the gross charges listed on hospital chargemasters, though rates vary wildly between competing facilities. Patients check published cash rates on FairVisitHealth before booking care.

How do I compare hospital prices in Phoenix before a procedure?

Compare hospital prices in Phoenix by identifying the standard billing CPT code for your treatment and searching published machine-readable files. Federal rules require hospitals to make these rates public online. Contact hospital billing departments directly to ask for their direct pay price list.

What are shoppable services under CMS price transparency rules?

Shoppable services are non-emergency healthcare procedures a patient schedules in advance, such as imaging tests, outpatient surgeries, and routine consultations. Under 45 CFR §180.60, hospitals must display pricing for at least 300 shoppable services in a consumer-friendly format according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

How do I get a Good Faith Estimate for hospital care in Arizona?

Request a Good Faith Estimate by informing your healthcare provider or hospital of your uninsured or self-pay status when scheduling a service. Under federal No Surprises Act rules at 45 CFR §149.610, providers must issue a written Good Faith Estimate detailing anticipated charges according to Itemized. Uninsured patients in Maricopa County also contact Valleywise Health at (602) 344-1866 according to Valleywise Health.

Are hospital cash prices lower than insurance rates in Phoenix?

Hospital cash prices in Phoenix are sometimes lower than commercial insurance rates, but pricing depends heavily on the procedure and facility. For instance, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center lists a cash price and a negotiated median of $949 for a spinal injection (CPT 64483), while St. Joseph's Hospital And Medical Center lists a cash price of $118 according to FairVisitHealth price data. Self-pay patients compare cash prices against negotiated rates before choosing how to pay.