How much does an EKG (electrocardiogram) cost in San Francisco Bay Area?
Routine EKG with at least 12 leads including interpretation and report. Below: the rates insurers have actually negotiated with 3 San Francisco Bay Area-area hospitals, and the cash (self-pay) prices where published — from the hospitals' own federally required price files.
$72
lowest median negotiated rate
Stanford Health Care
$204
highest (adult hospitals)
Good Samaritan Hospital
2.8×
price spread
same procedure, same metro
Median negotiated rate per hospital · sorted low → high · hover a bar for the full receipt
cash (self-pay) price
| Hospital | Gross charge | Cash price | Negotiated | Range | # rates | vs median |
|---|
* Specialty hospital (pediatric or cancer center) — rates reflect specialty case mix. † Median based on fewer than 3 published rates — treat as indicative. Bars show the median dollar-denominated commercial negotiated rate; hospitals sharing a health-system contract show similar rates.
SOURCE: standard-charges files from 3 hospitals · file dates 2026-03-01 → 2026-04-01 · retrieved 2026-08-15
Paying cash can beat using insurance. At Stanford Health Care, the self-pay price is $62 — less than the $72 median commercial-insurer rate. If you haven't met your deductible, ask for the cash rate.
Skipping the hospital? 121
independent imaging/outpatient centers in this area negotiate a median
$24 all-in for this procedure (212 insurer
rates) — less than the lowest hospital facility fee above ($72).
- Alliance Healthcare Services Inc — $11
- Alliance Healthcare Services Inc — $11
- Alliance Healthcare Services Inc — $12
- Alliance Healthcare Services Inc — $12