Left heart catheterization in Austin, TX costs $3,702 to $9,853. Here's every hospital's price.

CPT 93452 is a diagnostic catheterization of the left side of the heart: a thin tube is threaded from the wrist or groin into the heart to measure pressures and inject dye so the arteries show on X-ray. It is how blockages are confirmed before a stent or bypass is considered. It takes 30 to 60 minutes and most patients go home the same day.

What the price covers

The hospital's price is the facility fee for the catheterization lab: the room, imaging equipment, nursing, catheters, contrast dye and recovery. The cardiologist bills separately, as does anesthesia if used. If a stent is placed during the same procedure, the codes and prices change substantially; this page is the diagnostic study only.

Why prices vary

Cath-lab pricing spans a wide range even within one city, and large systems tend to list the highest gross charges. Negotiated rates with insurers are usually far below gross; cash prices sit somewhere between. Because this is rarely an elective purchase, the practical use of these numbers is to check a bill or choose between two hospitals a cardiologist works at.

Questions to ask

• What is the self-pay price for 93452, and does it include contrast and recovery?
• What does the cardiologist charge separately?
• If a stent is needed, what does the procedure become and what does that cost?