Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas patients pay among country’s lowest rates for women’s health procedures

Dr. Florence Jameson

Dr. Florence Jameson talks to patient Brandi Johnson, 19, during a visit to Jameson’s Las Vegas office on Friday, May 19, 2008.

People undergoing medical procedures in Las Vegas tend to pay less than patients do in other major metropolitan areas, according to a recent study of private insurance rates.

Castlight Health, a San Francisco-based health care information company, analyzed the costs — the patient’s share plus the amount paid by the insurer — of eight common medical procedures in 30 cities across the United States. Its finding: Health care costs vary drastically without a clear rhyme or reason.

For instance, Castlight Health Costliest Cities Index found that the price of a mammogram across the country ranged from $130 to $1,898. The analysis largely is based on medical claims data, but Castlight also used other information publicly available such as actual provider rate sheets that list the negotiated price between a provider and an insurer.

Here’s a look at how Las Vegas stacked up in each category:

Mammogram: Las Vegas ranked 20th of 30 with an average price of $236 for mammograms. Sacramento was the most expensive at $485 and Cincinnati was the cheapest at $159.

HPV test: Las Vegas ranked 12th with an average price of $66 for HPV tests. With an average price of $187, San Francisco was the most expensive and Charlotte, N.C., was the least expensive at $32.

Preventive gynecological exam: Las Vegas ranked 29th with an average price of $117 for preventive gynecological exams, making it the second cheapest city in the analysis. San Francisco was the most expensive at $214, while Phoenix came in the lowest at $111.

OB/GYN follow-up visit: Las Vegas again ranked 29th with an average price of $70 for OB/GYN follow-up visits. Minneapolis was the most expensive at $96, and Phoenix was the cheapest at $68.

Lipid panel: Las Vegas fared worse in this category, ranking as the third most expensive city with an average price of $83 for lipid panels. (The price of lipid panels in Las Vegas increased 143 percent over the previous year.) Indianapolis was the most expensive at $98, while Detroit was the cheapest at $41.

Preventive primary care visit: Las Vegas ranked 28th with an average price of $113 for preventive primary care visits. The cost of such an appointment was highest in Minneapolis at $228 and lowest in Miami at $96.

CT scan of head/brain: Las Vegas ranked 15th — in other words, middle of the road — with an average cost of $961 for a CT scan of the head/brain. Indianapolis was the most expensive at $1,362, and Washington, D.C., was the cheapest at $592.

MRI of lower back: Las Vegas ranked 14th with an average price of $1,580 for an MRI of the lower back. Indianapolis’ average cost of $2,307 was the highest, while Detroit’s average of $1,009 was the lowest.

Jackie Valley can be reached at 702-524-8269 or [email protected]. Follow Jackie on Twitter at twitter.com/JackieValley

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