UCSF Medical Center vs Kaiser Permanente SAN FRANCISCO.
Side-by-side prices for 16 procedures both hospitals publish, plus CMS quality ratings and metro context. Pulled from each hospital's federally-mandated price transparency file. UCSF Medical Center is cheaper on more procedures (16 vs 0).
Head-to-head, by procedure.
| Procedure | UCSF | Kaiser | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain MRI without contrast | $432 | $3,629 | UCSF ↓ |
| Brain MRI with and without contrast | $652 | $5,499 | UCSF ↓ |
| Lumbar spine MRI without contrast | $487 | $3,282 | UCSF ↓ |
| Knee/lower-extremity MRI without contrast | $330 | $3,438 | UCSF ↓ |
| CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast | $761 | $4,754 | UCSF ↓ |
| Abdominal ultrasound, complete | $125 | $991 | UCSF ↓ |
| Mammogram, screening | $44 | $375 | UCSF ↓ |
| DXA bone density scan | $30 | $504 | UCSF ↓ |
| Chest X-ray, single view | $123 | $476 | UCSF ↓ |
| Comprehensive metabolic panel | $123 | $255 | UCSF ↓ |
| Lipid panel | $18 | $156 | UCSF ↓ |
| CBC with differential | $70 | $123 | UCSF ↓ |
| TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) | $122 | $155 | UCSF ↓ |
| Hemoglobin A1c | $29 | $80 | UCSF ↓ |
| Urinalysis | $14 | $36 | UCSF ↓ |
| Thyroid ultrasound | $84 | $907 | UCSF ↓ |
Patient experience.
CMS HCAHPS patient survey, period ending 03/31/2025. Bold = higher score.
| Measure | UCSF | Kaiser |
|---|---|---|
| HCAHPS overall star rating | 4/5 | — |
| Would definitely recommend | 83% | — |
| Hospital rating 9 or 10 of 10 | 77% | — |
| Nurses always communicated well | 81% | — |
| Doctors always communicated well | 81% | — |
| Given clear info about recovery | 87% | — |
| Room and bathroom always clean | 71% | — |
| Staff always explained meds | 60% | — |
| Quiet at night, always | 54% | — |
Add your insurance.
Cash-pay is one number. With your insurance plan, the actual price differs. Pick your insurer in the comparison tool to see plan-specific rates at both hospitals.
Open comparison →How to read this comparison.
The cash-pay price is what an uninsured patient would be charged at each hospital. It's the cleanest apples-to-apples comparison because it doesn't depend on your insurance plan.
The CMS rating is the federal quality composite, built from ~50 measures spanning safety, mortality, readmission, patient experience, and timeliness. A 5-star hospital may not be the best at every procedure, and a 3-star hospital can have a strong specific service line. Treat the rating as one input, not the answer.
For your specific insurance plan, prices can shift dramatically. Some hospitals negotiate steep discounts with one insurer and not another. Always check the plan-specific rate before you book.