How Much Does a Doctor Visit Cost?


Written by:  Howmuchisit.org Staff

A doctor visit will be necessary whether you have a medical condition or you simply want to show up for a routine physical.

There are so many factors involved when visiting a doctor’s office and paying the bill, so it can be hard to offer an “exact” estimate.

Doctor by Sole Treadmill, on Flickr
Doctor” (CC BY 2.0) by Sole Treadmill

How much does a doctor visit cost?

In general, a regular routine appointment with a primary care doctor, without any other tests involved, can cost anywhere from $150 to $300 without insurance.  If the visit is through the hospital at an emergency room, then the fees can soar to $375 to more than $700+ without insurance.  Doctor visits at home can range anywhere from $200 to $550, depending on how far the doctor has to travel and what needs to be diagnosed.

A doctor’s visit at a pharmacy, such as CVS or Walgreens, could cost anywhere from $89 to $129 without insurance.  These visits, most of the time, will be performed by a nurse practitioner.

Ultimately, the cost of a doctor’s visit will depend on the severity of your condition, where you were cared for and the additional tests that were required.

If you have health insurance, you will more than likely be responsible for your deductible and co-pays, and this doctor’s visit should always be covered by insurance, and routine annual exams, according to Affordable Health Care Act, will be covered 100 percent.  To find out more, contact your insurance company to know what you’re responsible for.  Those who have a co-pay often find themselves paying anywhere from $5 to more than $50; again, depending on the policy. If you do not have insurance or you are looking for a new policy, consider browsing through hundreds of policies at eHealthInsurance.com.

Refer to our table below to see what you may have to pay for a doctor’s office visit without any insurance:

Type of CareAverage Cost
Routine Adult Checkup$200 to $300
Female Exam (younger than 40)$200 to $300
Female Exam (older than 40)$275 to $400
Child Exam (newborn to 24 months)$150 to $200
Child Exam (24 months to 16 years)$150 to $250
Adult office visit for illness$150 to $250
Child visit for illness$150 to $250
Adult emergency room visit for illness$550 to $800
Child emergency visit for illness$500 to $750

NOTE:  If you’re an established patient, these costs can drop by more than 50 percent, depending on your doctor’s office billing policy.

In 2015, 79 percent of uninsured callers who called a doctor’s office were offered an appointment, whereas six percent were denied due to their insurance status.  According to this John Hopkins study, the average price for a new uninsured patient was quoted for $160, with some states such as Oregon being as high as $188.  The prices were much lower than a federally qualified health center.

What are the extra costs?

Aside from the doctors’ office visit, there could be a good chance that a doctor will want to order more tests, which will add to the total estimates as noted above.  Refer to our table below to see what routine diagnostic tests and routine lab services can cost without any insurance being involved.

Type of Diagnostic Test or Lab ServiceAverage Price (without insurance)
Allergy Study$250 to $400
Blood Count$5 to $50
Blood Glucose Test$5 to $15
Cardiac Catheterization$500 to $2,500
CAT Scan$300 to $750
Cholesterol Test$50 to $125
Colonoscopy$700 to $1,100
Echocardiogram$100 to $275
Electrocardiogram$50 to $150
Hematology$15 to $40
Influenza A & B Testing$55 to $75
Lipid Panel Test$30 to $55
Mono Test$15 to $25
MRI$500 to $1,500
Pulmonary Study$25 to $100
Sleep Study$100 to $750
STD Test$55 to $150
Strep Test$20 to $40
Throat Swab$30 to $50
Ultrasound$150 to $250
Urinalysis$5 to $25
Vaccination$25 to $150

How can I save money?

Many doctor’s offices will offer a cash discount to those who don’t have health insurance.  Talk with the doctor’s office ahead of time to see if they have any discounts available.

Consider a virtual doctor’s visit if your symptoms are mild.  These visits can be less than $75 if you have no insurance.  For instance, Doctor on Demand charges $75 for those without insurance, and another company — Amwell — charges $59 for those who have no insurance.  With these services, you can either use your computer or phone and video chat with a doctor, just like you would in a waiting room, but unlike a regular doctor’s office, you won’t have to drive there or sit in a waiting room with sick people.

As mentioned, schedule your annual physical ahead of time.  As long as you have a health insurance policy, it will be 100 percent covered.

If your doctor does prescribe a prescription, ask for a generic equivalent if they have one and ask if there are any other ways to save.


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Average Reported Cost: $203

100 %
0 %
Less Expensive $1 $1.5K $3K $5K $6.5K More Expensive $8k

How much did you spend?

Was it worth it?  

  1. Fred Peck (Enid OK,  Oklahoma) paid $203 and said:

    insuranance never has paid for 6ix monthso

    Blue Cross Blue Shield so I had to pay at beginning of hospital request I ended up paying 102.33 dollars after medicare now the insurance co. said I still should be reimbursed.

    Was it worth it? Yes

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