For-Profit vs Nonprofit Hospitals: Virginia Prices
For-profit hospitals charge 2.5-4x more per procedure
This analysis covers hospitals in Virginia. We're expanding to new states — check our latest findings or our Virginia and North Carolina pricing reports.
For the same procedure in Virginia, for-profit hospitals charge 2.5-4x more than nonprofit hospitals on average. The premium is consistent across imaging, endoscopy, and routine lab tests — same CPT codes, same body part, very different prices.
Virginia's for-profit hospitals are primarily HCA Virginia facilities: LewisGale, Henrico Doctors, Chippenham Johnston-Willis, Reston Hospital Center, and StoneSprings. Nonprofits include Inova, Sentara, Carilion, UVA Health, VCU Health, Bon Secours, and Riverside.
Price gap by procedure
| Procedure | For-Profit Avg | Nonprofit Avg | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonoscopy Diagnostic | $8,472 | $2,001 | 4.2x |
| Cystoscopy | $3,268 | $847 | 3.9x |
| Colonoscopy with Biopsy | $10,247 | $2,744 | 3.7x |
| CT Chest without Contrast | $5,363 | $1,627 | 3.3x |
| MRI Knee without Contrast | $6,806 | $2,293 | 3.0x |
| MRI Brain without Contrast | $6,351 | $2,172 | 2.9x |
| MRI Cervical Spine without Contrast | $6,483 | $2,249 | 2.9x |
| Cardiac CT Calcium Score | $1,108 | $395 | 2.8x |
| Upper GI Endoscopy with Biopsy | $8,402 | $3,046 | 2.8x |
| MRI Brain with Contrast | $6,808 | $2,491 | 2.7x |
| MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast | $6,357 | $2,340 | 2.7x |
| Colonoscopy with Polyp Removal | $8,135 | $3,036 | 2.7x |
| MRI Shoulder without Contrast | $6,193 | $2,312 | 2.7x |
| Urinalysis with Microscopy | $205 | $78 | 2.6x |
| Hemoglobin A1C | $285 | $109 | 2.6x |
The gap is widest for colonoscopy diagnostic (4.2x), cystoscopy (3.9x), and colonoscopy with biopsy (3.7x). It narrows for routine tests and standardized procedures, but a 2.5x gap is still typical even at the lower end.
Ownership type is displayed on every hospital profile and facility card on our procedure comparison pages.
Methodology: averages computed across 10 for-profit (Proprietary) and 41 nonprofit (Voluntary) Virginia hospitals where ≥2 for-profit and ≥3 nonprofit hospitals publish a cash price for the procedure. Source: hospital-published machine-readable files under 45 CFR 180.50, recomputed against current data.
Sources: hospital machine-readable files (45 CFR Part 180), CMS Hospital Compare, HCAHPS, CMS Cost Reports, and IRS Form 990 filings via ProPublica. Every number traces to a federal primary source — full methodology and direct links.
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