For-Profit vs Nonprofit Hospitals: Virginia Prices
For-profit hospitals charge 2.0x more on average
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-profit hospitals in Virginia charge an average of $3,465 per procedure. Nonprofit hospitals average $1,700. That's a 2.0x premium for for-profit ownership — across all procedures, all facilities, with identical CPT codes.
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, and Bon Secours.
Price gap by procedure
| Procedure | For-Profit Avg | Nonprofit Avg | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest X-Ray 2 Views | $876 | $326 | 2.7x |
| CT Chest without Contrast | $3,305 | $1,232 | 2.7x |
| Urinalysis with Microscopy | $219 | $82 | 2.7x |
| CT Chest with Contrast | $4,055 | $1,570 | 2.6x |
| CT Head without Contrast | $3,584 | $1,408 | 2.5x |
| MRI Brain without Contrast | $5,850 | $2,306 | 2.5x |
| MRI Cervical Spine without Contrast | $5,966 | $2,428 | 2.5x |
| MRI Brain with Contrast | $6,039 | $2,569 | 2.4x |
| MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast | $6,018 | $2,479 | 2.4x |
| MRI Shoulder without Contrast | $5,791 | $2,375 | 2.4x |
| Ultrasound Pregnancy | $1,797 | $746 | 2.4x |
| Shoulder X-Ray | $1,097 | $477 | 2.3x |
| MRI Knee without Contrast | $5,086 | $2,174 | 2.3x |
| ER Visit Level 3 (Moderate) | $2,227 | $980 | 2.3x |
| Ultrasound Abdomen Complete | $2,466 | $1,110 | 2.2x |
The gap is widest for chest x-ray 2 views (2.7x), ct chest without contrast (2.7x), and urinalysis with microscopy (2.7x). It narrows for surgeries where pricing is more standardized.
Ownership type is displayed on every hospital profile and facility card on our procedure comparison pages.
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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