OBJECTIVES Contracts with contracted physicians or institutes that perform health care services can provide price advantages due to competition. The sickness funds of the Austrian Social Security signed a contract concerning ultrasound with physicians or institutes. Claims data, respectively rendered fees suggest a possible savings potential in the fee for service system without reducing the scope of the procedures or the frequencies. We analyzed the variety of fees in the field of ultrasound including contracted physicians and institutes. This shows a variability among the total amount of reimbursement in the Austrian outpatient sector consisting of contracted physicians, institutes and outpatient clinics of hospitals and ambulatories. Approximately 30% of the Austrian outpatient sector cannot be displayed since no data is available. METHODS Price differences for the same or similar procedures performed by different contracted physicians or institutes are evaluated and displayed. Different financial impacts (e.g. focusing on average or lowest value) are simulated. Values were rounded to two decimal points, however, calculated by 15 decimal points. The fee equals the division of turnover/frequencies. RESULTS A total of 78,131,670 ultrasound procedures were brought into account in the year 2006. Calculating all frequencies with the lowest paid fee (turnover/frequency) for each service would lead to a lower financial effort of 40% compared to the current turnover. Calculating all frequencies with the highest fee for service would lead to a higher effort of 47% compared to the current turnover. CONCLUSIONS A current savings potential of 47%, contrasting the current fee with the most expensive one, indicates a well established fee negotiation. However, a savings potential of 40% is worth being considered for further evaluation and, if necessary, the adjustment of fees is advisable.