Preventive imaging, explained simply
Every screening scan in one place: what it is, whether you're due, what it costs, and where to book — with prices upfront.
- Medically sourced
- Prices upfront
- Book online
- Your answers stay on this device
Backed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — usually $0 with insurance when you qualify.
Guideline-recommended when your personal or family history puts you at higher risk.
Not part of standard guidelines. Some people still choose them — here's the honest picture, including who might benefit.
Screening by the decades
What national guidelines suggest as you age. Your doctor may adjust for your history.
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In your 40s
- Mammogram every 1–2 years (women, from 40)
- Calcium score worth a conversation if heart risk runs in your family
- High-risk breast MRI if strong family history
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45+
- Colorectal cancer screening starts — CT colonography every 5 years is one option
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50s
- Annual low-dose lung CT if you smoked (20+ pack-years)
- Keep up mammograms and colon screening
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65+
- Bone density (DEXA) for women
- One-time AAA ultrasound for men who ever smoked
- Medicare preventive benefits begin
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70s+
- Continue mammograms and DEXA as your doctor advises
- Bone density for men worth discussing
Frequently asked questions
What is a preventive imaging screening?
A screening is a test you get while you feel fine, to catch a problem early — often years before symptoms would appear. Preventive imaging screenings use scans (like a mammogram, a low-dose CT, or a bone density test) to look for the earliest signs of cancer, weak bones, or artery disease, when they're easiest to treat.
What's the difference between a screening and a diagnostic test?
A screening looks for disease in people with no symptoms. A diagnostic test answers a specific question — investigating a symptom, a lump, or an abnormal screening result. It's often the same machine, but insurance treats the two differently: recommended screenings are usually covered at $0 when you qualify, while diagnostic tests typically involve your normal copay or deductible.
Do I need a doctor's order to book a screening?
It depends on the test and the clinic. Screening mammograms can often be self-scheduled. Lung cancer screening needs a doctor's order (and a documented decision visit) for insurance to cover it. Many cash-pay tests, like a calcium score, don't require an order at all. Each test page here spells it out, and each clinic's page on Expected Health shows exactly what that clinic requires.
What does "usually $0 with insurance" mean?
Under the Affordable Care Act, most health plans must fully cover preventive services the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends — no copay, no deductible — when you meet the criteria, such as your age or risk history. If you don't meet the criteria, or the scan is done to investigate a symptom, normal cost-sharing applies. When in doubt, the number on the back of your insurance card can confirm before you book.
Are the cash prices on this site real?
Yes. They're self-pay prices we collect directly from imaging clinics. We show them as ranges with a typical price, and we label a range as limited data when fewer clinics have reported. Prices do change, so the clinic's own page always has the final word before you book.
Is my information private when I use the screening checker?
Yes. The checker runs entirely on your device — your answers are never sent to our servers, never stored, and never used for marketing. Close the page and they're gone. It's general education, not medical advice, and nothing you answer creates a medical record.