How Much Does a Rib X-Ray Cost?
Quick answer: A rib x-ray (ribcage x-ray) costs about $75-$250 without insurance at a freestanding imaging center, $100-$300 at urgent care (plus the visit fee), $250-$700 at a hospital outpatient department, and $400-$1,500+ as part of an emergency room visit. One side of the ribs is cheaper than both sides with a chest view. With insurance, most people pay a $10-$75 copay. Medicare's national rate is only about $36-$42 for a one-sided rib series. Privately in the UK, expect around £120-£250.
If you've fallen, been hit in the chest or coughed hard and now have sharp pain when you breathe, you are probably wondering whether you've cracked a rib and what an x-ray will cost. The answer depends on where you go and which study is ordered. Rib x-rays are billed by side (one side or both) and by whether a chest view is included, and those choices can double the bill. Just as important, many people with a suspected cracked rib don't need dedicated rib views at all; a chest x-ray to rule out complications is often the more useful and cheaper test.
Rib X-Ray Cost Without Insurance by Facility
| Facility Type | One Side (71100 / 71101) | Both Sides (71110 / 71111) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding Imaging Center | $75 - $250 | $100 - $350 | Lowest prices; usually needs a doctor's order |
| Urgent Care Center | $100 - $300 | $150 - $400 | Visit fee of roughly $100-$200 usually extra |
| Hospital Outpatient Department | $250 - $700 | $350 - $900 | Facility fees raise prices |
| Emergency Room | $400 - $1,500+ | $500 - $1,500+ | ER visit and physician fees billed separately; total often $1,000+ |
Typical US self-pay prices in 2026 including the radiologist's read, compiled from cash-price marketplaces, hospital price-transparency data and Medicare benchmarks (see Sources).
For context, NewChoiceHealth reports a national average of about $91 for a rib x-ray at the outpatient facilities it tracks, while average cash prices reported by hospitals in price-transparency data are much higher: roughly $290 for a one-sided 2-view rib x-ray and close to $500 for a bilateral rib series with a chest view. That gap is the clearest reason to avoid hospital-based imaging when your situation isn't an emergency. More on uninsured pricing is in our x-ray without insurance guide.
Rib X-Ray CPT Codes and Views
| CPT Code | Description | Medicare National Rate (2026, approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 71100 | Ribs, one side, 2 views | About $36 |
| 71101 | Ribs, one side, including a PA chest view, minimum 3 views | About $42 |
| 71110 | Ribs, both sides, 3 views | Between one side and 71111 |
| 71111 | Ribs, both sides, including a PA chest view, minimum 4 views | About $51 |
| 71046 | Chest x-ray, 2 views (for comparison) | About $33 |
Medicare amounts are national non-facility physician fee schedule figures (total RVUs x the 2026 conversion factor of about $33.40) before geographic adjustment. They are a benchmark for a fair price, not what a cash patient will be quoted.
The codes that include a chest view (71101 and 71111) are common after injury because the chest image checks the lungs for a collapsed lung (pneumothorax) or blood in the chest, the complications that actually make rib fractures dangerous. Ask which code your doctor ordered; a one-sided study is usually all that's needed when the pain is clearly on one side.
Rib X-Ray vs. Chest X-Ray: Cost and Purpose
People often search for "rib x-ray cost vs x-ray" because they're not sure which one they need. In short:
- A chest x-ray (CPT 71045 or 71046) looks at the lungs, heart and the overall shape of the ribcage. It is the most important first test after a chest injury, because it shows the complications that need treatment. It typically costs about the same as a one-sided rib study or slightly less. See our chest x-ray cost guide.
- Dedicated rib views use different exposure settings and angles to show the ribs themselves in more detail. They find more fractures than a chest x-ray, but finding a simple, uncomplicated rib fracture rarely changes treatment, which is mainly pain control and breathing exercises.
For that reason, many emergency physicians order a chest x-ray rather than a full rib series after minor chest trauma, and add rib views only when the result would change management, for example in older adults, with suspected multiple fractures, or when a fracture needs to be documented for legal or work-injury reasons.
Cost of an X-Ray for a Suspected Cracked Rib
For a suspected cracked rib, the realistic total depends on where you're seen:
- Primary care or urgent care with on-site x-ray: visit fee plus x-ray, usually about $200-$500 self-pay in total.
- Imaging center with a doctor's order: $75-$250 for the x-ray, plus whatever the ordering visit cost.
- Emergency room: commonly $1,000 or more in total once ER facility and physician fees are added, and higher if a CT scan is done.
Go to the ER rather than an imaging center if you have severe shortness of breath, are coughing up blood, have chest pain that could be cardiac, had a high-energy injury such as a car crash, or are older or on blood thinners. In those situations a CT scan may be the right test, costing roughly $300-$3,000 without insurance depending on the facility.
Do you even need an x-ray? The NHS advice page on broken or bruised ribs states plainly that "there's often no need for an X-ray," because simple rib fractures and bruised ribs are treated the same way and usually heal on their own in a few weeks. A clinician can examine you and decide whether imaging is warranted, which may save you the cost entirely.
Rib X-Ray Cost With Insurance
| Coverage Type | Typical Cost to You |
|---|---|
| Copay plan (in-network) | $10 - $40 at an imaging center or office; $50 - $75+ at a hospital |
| Coinsurance after deductible | 10-30% of the negotiated rate, often $10 - $80 |
| High-deductible plan, deductible not met | The full negotiated rate, roughly $50 - $400+ |
| ER visit with insurance | Your ER copay or deductible/coinsurance for the whole visit, often $100 - $500+ |
| Original Medicare (Part B) | 20% of the approved amount (about $7 - $9 for a one-sided study) after the $283 Part B deductible |
| Medicaid | $0 or a small copay in most states |
Rib x-rays ordered after an injury are almost always covered. If the injury happened at work, workers' compensation normally pays; if it happened in a car accident, auto insurance (PIP or MedPay, depending on your state) may be billed first. Read more in our insurance coverage guide.
Rib X-Ray Cost in the UK, Canada and Australia
UK: On the NHS, rib x-rays are free when clinically indicated, although many A&E departments and GPs won't x-ray simple suspected rib fractures. Privately, expect roughly £120-£250. As an example of a published price at the time of writing, one London private clinic (108 Harley Street) lists a rib x-ray at £160, and Nuffield Health's Manchester hospitals show x-ray guide prices of £130-£201 depending on complexity, with a referral required. See our UK x-ray cost guide.
Canada: medically necessary rib or chest x-rays are covered by provincial health plans; people without provincial coverage pay the facility's uninsured rate, so ask first.
Australia: rib and chest x-rays are listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule, and many radiology practices bulk-bill with a referral; others charge a gap.
How to Save Money on a Rib X-Ray
- Ask whether you need an x-ray at all, and if so whether a chest x-ray alone will answer the question.
- Ask for one side only if your pain is clearly one-sided; bilateral studies cost more.
- Use urgent care or an imaging center instead of the ER when you are breathing comfortably and the injury was minor. Compare options in our urgent care x-ray guide.
- Get an all-inclusive cash quote by CPT code (71100, 71101, 71110 or 71111), including the radiologist's read.
- Check price-transparency files and cash-price marketplaces such as MDsave, and ask about prompt-pay discounts. More in our cost-saving tips.
The Bottom Line
A rib x-ray typically costs $75-$250 at an imaging center, $250-$700 at a hospital, and is usually a small part of a much larger bill in the ER. With insurance most people pay a $10-$75 copay. Because many cracked ribs heal the same way whether or not they're seen on x-ray, the cheapest option is often a clinical exam and, when needed, a chest x-ray. Related guides: neck x-ray cost, finger x-ray cost and spine x-ray cost.
Sources
- CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, 2026 RVUs and conversion factor, CPT 71100, 71101, 71111 and 71046 (as summarized by FastRVU)
- NewChoiceHealth, rib x-ray national average price
- Hospital price-transparency data aggregated by Turquoise Health (rib x-ray, one side 2 views; bilateral with chest)
- NHS: Broken or bruised ribs
- Nuffield Health x-ray guide prices
- 108 Harley Street published x-ray fees
- CMS, 2026 Medicare Part B premium and deductible announcement
Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on XRayCost.com is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or medical procedure. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Last Updated: October 12, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions About Rib X-Ray Costs
A rib x-ray typically costs $75-$250 without insurance at a freestanding imaging center, $100-$300 at urgent care plus the visit fee, $250-$700 at a hospital outpatient department, and $400-$1,500 or more as part of an ER visit. A one-sided study costs less than both sides with a chest view. Ask for the all-inclusive cash price including the radiologist's read.
At urgent care or a primary care office with on-site x-ray, a visit plus rib or chest x-ray usually totals about $200-$500 self-pay. The x-ray alone at an imaging center is about $75-$250. In the ER, total bills commonly exceed $1,000 once facility and physician fees are added. Many simple cracked ribs are diagnosed and treated without an x-ray, so ask whether one is needed.
Usually slightly, or about the same. A one-sided rib x-ray (CPT 71100) has a Medicare national rate of about $36, compared with about $33 for a 2-view chest x-ray (71046), while rib series that include a chest view or both sides cost more. After a chest injury a chest x-ray is often the more useful first test because it checks for a collapsed lung, the complication that needs treatment.
CPT 71100 is ribs, one side, 2 views; 71101 is one side including a PA chest view, minimum 3 views; 71110 is both sides, 3 views; and 71111 is both sides including a PA chest view, minimum 4 views. Medicare's 2026 national rates are roughly $36 for 71100, $42 for 71101 and $51 for 71111 before geographic adjustment.
Not always. The NHS notes that there's often no need for an x-ray for broken or bruised ribs, because uncomplicated rib fractures are treated the same way as bruised ribs, with pain relief and breathing exercises. Imaging is more likely to be needed after a high-energy injury, in older adults, with shortness of breath or coughing up blood, or if several ribs may be broken.
Most insured patients pay a $10-$75 copay for an in-network rib x-ray, or 10-30% coinsurance after the deductible. On a high-deductible plan you pay the full negotiated rate until the deductible is met. With Original Medicare you pay 20% of the approved amount, roughly $7-$9 for a one-sided study, after the $283 Part B deductible for 2026.
A private rib x-ray in the UK typically costs about £120-£250 including the report. At the time of writing, one London clinic lists a rib x-ray at £160, and Nuffield Health's Manchester hospitals list x-ray guide prices of £130-£201 depending on complexity, with a referral required. On the NHS, rib x-rays are free when clinically needed.