# Screening colonoscopy (average risk): what CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield pays, by state

A routine colon cancer screening colonoscopy for someone at average risk with no symptoms.

- Insurer: CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- Billing code: G0121 (Cancer screening)
- Price shown: negotiated in-network price, surgery center / hospital outpatient, doctor's fee
- Prices as of: unknown
- All of the insurer's plans pooled; the map also shows single networks

| State | Providers | Lowest | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Highest | Medicare pays | Median vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 1 | $2,177.00 | $2,177.00 | $2,177.00 | $2,177.00 | $2,177.00 | $163.58 | 13x Medicare |
| District of Columbia | 16 | $1,202.00 | $1,382.50 | $1,436.00 | $1,762.00 | $4,860.00 | $180.29 | 8.0x Medicare |
| Maryland | 3 | $1,436.00 | $1,436.00 | $1,436.00 | $1,436.00 | $1,436.00 | $169.37 | 8.5x Medicare |
| Virginia | 20 | $1,436.00 | $2,485.00 | $2,485.00 | $2,510.00 | $3,534.00 | $160.12 | 16x Medicare |

**“x Medicare”** compares each price with what original Medicare pays a doctor for the same service in the same state under its physician fee schedule (RVU26D, in force from 2026-10-01) — the lower price a doctor is paid when a hospital or surgery center provides the room and equipment. Insurers write their contracts as a share of Medicare, so 1.3x means the insurer pays 30% more than Medicare would; Medicare Advantage plans generally pay close to 1.0x.

Prices are what the insurer has agreed to pay, not what you will be billed. This is a statewide summary: prices vary far more between towns and between practices than these medians suggest, and "providers" counts everyone with a contracted price, not only those who perform the procedure.

Map: https://medicalpricetransparency.netlify.app/insurers/carefirst/statemap_G0121_US.html  
About this insurer's data, and its other procedures: [index.md](index.md)