How much does a colonoscopy cost?
It depends heavily on one thing most people don't realize matters: whether it's a screening or a diagnostic colonoscopy.
- Screening colonoscopy — a routine check with no symptoms, at the recommended age. Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans must cover preventive screening colonoscopies at no cost to you. If you're insured and due for a routine screening, your out-of-pocket cost may be $0.
- Diagnostic colonoscopy — done because of symptoms, a positive stool test, or to follow up on a prior finding. This one is billed like any other procedure, and the price varies a lot.
For a diagnostic colonoscopy at hospitals with published data, the cash (self-pay) price has a median around $1,600, ranging from about $500 at the cheapest tenth of hospitals to nearly $4,000 at the priciest. If you're insured, the negotiated rate is a bit lower on average — a median around $1,200. See current colonoscopy prices →
Why the price varies so much
Hospitals set their own charges and negotiate separately with each insurer, so the same procedure carries many different prices — and two hospitals a few miles apart can differ by several times. A colonoscopy also bundles several pieces (the facility, the doctor, sometimes anesthesia and pathology if a polyp is removed), and how a hospital reports those affects the number you see. A higher price doesn't mean a better procedure.
How to find — and lower — your price
- Know which type you're getting. Ask your doctor whether it's coded as screening or diagnostic; it can change your cost dramatically. If it starts as a screening and a polyp is removed, billing can shift to diagnostic — ask how that's handled.
- Compare hospitals near you and sort by the cash price if uninsured, the negotiated price if insured.
- Consider the setting. An ambulatory surgery center or outpatient clinic is often cheaper than a hospital for a routine colonoscopy.
- Confirm before you book. Ask the billing office for the price in writing for that procedure code, and ask what's included.
Where these numbers come from
Straight from each hospital's federally-mandated price file (required since 2021 under 45 §180) — published figures for comparison, not estimates and not a quote. Your actual cost depends on your care, your plan, and whether anything is found during the procedure. How we source this →
Frequently asked questions
Is a colonoscopy free with insurance?
A routine screening colonoscopy is covered at no cost by most insurance plans under the ACA's preventive-care rules. A diagnostic colonoscopy — done for symptoms or follow-up — is billed normally and your cost depends on your plan.
How much does a colonoscopy cost without insurance?
The cash self-pay price for a diagnostic colonoscopy has a median around $1,600, ranging from roughly $500 to $4,000 depending on the hospital. Comparing hospitals can save a lot.
Why did my screening colonoscopy turn into a bill?
If a polyp is found and removed, billing can change from screening to diagnostic. Ask your provider and insurer how that's coded before the procedure.
Where is a colonoscopy cheapest?
Ambulatory surgery centers and outpatient clinics are often cheaper than hospitals. Compare the specific hospitals near you, since prices vary several-fold within one area.
Related
Prices in this guide are as of June 2026 and link to the live page for current figures. Published data is for comparison, not a quote — always confirm with the hospital. Spotted something off? Submit a correction.