Bone scan (nuclear) Cost by Hospital

Bone scan (nuclear) is a diagnostic imaging scan. Prices are from 2151 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$1,378median cash price · 2151 hospitals, 52 statestypically $485–$3,675 depending on the hospital
≈ 5.3× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$2,426
Cash / self-pay
$1,378
Insurer-negotiated
$600
Medicare pays
$259
$485$3,675
Median cash $1,378  ·  Medicare $259  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,378 — about 5.3× the Medicare rate ($259). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($518).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,426 list price could save about $1,049 (43%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Braxton County Memorial Hospital, Inc Gassaway, WV $213 — — 102 min 15.0%
Coffey County Hospital Burlington, KS $213 — ★ 4/5 89 min 14.7%
Bassett Healthcare Cooperstown, NY $217 $64 ★ 2/5 199 min 15.6%
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Eaton Charlotte, MI $222 $533 ★ 1/5 152 min 15.0%
Western Maryland Regional Medical Center Cumberland, MD $223 $372 ★ 4/5 239 min 13.6%
Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA $224 $371 ★ 4/5 179 min 14.6%
O'connor Hospital Delhi, NY $228 $346 — 88 min 14.7%
Heritage Valley Beaver Beaver, PA $237 $389 ★ 3/5 185 min 14.5%
Heritage Valley Sewickley Sewickley, PA $237 $389 ★ 4/5 132 min 15.1%
Little Falls Hospital Little Falls, NY $241 $298 ★ 2/5 110 min 15.7%
Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Shelbyville, TN $241 $267 ★ 4/5 123 min 13.6%
Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital Tullahoma, TN $241 $266 ★ 3/5 173 min 15.1%
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Clinton Saint Johns, MI $244 $448 ★ 4/5 183 min 15.0%
The Women's Hospital Newburgh, IN $244 $237 ★ 5/5 128 min —
Gordon Memorial Hospital District Gordon, NE $251 $236 — 105 min 15.4%
Eisenhower Medical Center Rancho Mirage, CA $255 $514 ★ 4/5 259 min 14.8%
El Paso Children's Hospital El Paso, TX $257 $501 — — —
Edward W Sparrow Hospital Lansing, MI $263 $402 ★ 3/5 301 min 13.6%
Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital Nacogdoches, TX $263 $452 ★ 2/5 178 min 15.4%
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston Galveston, TX $264 $344 ★ 3/5 191 min 16.0%
Acadia General Hospital Crowley, LA $272 $365 ★ 3/5 108 min 15.4%
Bayamon Medical Center Bayamon, PR $273 $208 — 285 min 15.8%
Parkwest Medical Center Knoxville, TN $281 $385 ★ 3/5 259 min 14.9%
Seton Medical Center Harker Heights Harker Heights, TX $288 $1,256 ★ 4/5 174 min 16.3%
St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA $288 $390 — 117 min 15.2%

CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated August 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.

What insurers pay for Bone scan (nuclear)

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $1,378; Medicare pays $259.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
Medicaid 312
$164
$35 – $529
Univera 16
$218
$34 – $320
Independent Health 28
$237
$42 – $764
Highmark 125
$287
$65 – $871
Amerigroup 169
$294
$61 – $514
Molina Healthcare 551
$306
$77 – $947
AmeriHealth 227
$327
$58 – $1,150
Geisinger 69
$352
$58 – $1,530
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 136
$364
$109 – $2,056
MVP Health Care 82
$369
$44 – $1,658
Tricare / VA 380
$373
$40 – $1,136
Medicare 537
$382
$42 – $565
Devoted Health 170
$392
$359 – $473
SelectHealth 46
$394
$87 – $1,286
Priority Health 59
$397
$58 – $1,790
Humana 990
$406
$207 – $1,740
Anthem 541
$408
$87 – $1,582
Centene / Ambetter 741
$409
$87 – $1,236
UPMC Health Plan 103
$431
$92 – $1,714
UnitedHealthcare 1402
$461
$87 – $1,966
EmblemHealth 64
$503
$61 – $1,181
Blue Cross Blue Shield 1193
$509
$87 – $1,919
Bright Health 42
$562
$163 – $3,159
Oscar Health 151
$563
$96 – $1,381
Kaiser Permanente 225
$607
$220 – $2,562
UCare 71
$608
$98 – $2,010
Harvard Pilgrim 51
$616
$89 – $1,706
Aetna 1324
$651
$172 – $2,386
HealthPartners 244
$666
$87 – $1,946
Cigna 1063
$717
$316 – $2,463
Medica 216
$911
$178 – $2,090
Sanford Health Plan 69
$995
$256 – $2,044
Health Net 302
$1,097
$184 – $3,439
Security Health Plan 64
$1,193
$104 – $1,578
Healthcare Highways 43
$1,495
$289 – $2,700
AvMed 65
$1,585
$459 – $3,241
Coventry 145
$1,600
$280 – $3,401
MultiPlan / PHCS network 840
$1,852
$415 – $4,175

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

StateMedian cash
Puerto Rico$163
Rhode Island$455
New Jersey$531
Tennessee$571
Mississippi$571
Louisiana$626

Prices by city

Chicago, ILPhiladelphia, PAAustin, TXHouston, TXBaltimore, MDDallas, TXNew York, NYSacramento, CACincinnati, OHFort Worth, TXKansas City, MOLos Angeles, CABronx, NYBrooklyn, NYCharlotte, NCCleveland, OHNashville, TNSaint Louis, MOBirmingham, ALEl Paso, TXLittle Rock, ARMiami, FLMilwaukee, WIOklahoma City, OK

Prices by state

CaliforniaTexasOhioFloridaWisconsinIllinoisNew YorkPennsylvaniaMinnesotaMichiganNorth CarolinaTennesseeLouisianaGeorgiaIowaColoradoMissouriNebraskaVirginiaIndianaKansasKentuckyNew JerseyMarylandWashingtonOklahomaArkansasArizonaMassachusettsWest VirginiaMaineAlabamaSouth CarolinaMississippiSouth DakotaNorth DakotaOregonIdahoUtahConnecticutNew MexicoNew HampshireNevadaWyomingMontanaPuerto RicoDelawareVermontRhode IslandHawaiiWashington DCAlaska

Doctors who perform this

Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.

ClinicianSpecialtyLocationMedicare services
Sanjit Tewari, M.D.Interventional RadiologyHouston, TX514
Yang Lu, M.D., PH.D.Nuclear MedicineHouston, TX483
Lesley Flynt, MDNuclear MedicineHouston, TX432
Hubert Chuang, MDNuclear MedicineHouston, TX417
Kenneth Gage, M.D., PH.D.Diagnostic RadiologyJacksonville, FL388
Julio Cordero, MDNuclear MedicineEvanston, IL384
Bingfeng Tang, M.D.Nuclear MedicineColumbus, OH341
Patrick Ford, M.D.Nuclear MedicineHouston, TX341
Brigid Castro, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologyFairfax, VA305
Ahmed Abdelrahman, MDDiagnostic RadiologyNew York, NY296
Brandon Howard, PHDNuclear MedicineDurham, NC295
Guofan Xu, M.D.Nuclear MedicineHouston, TX292

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Bone scan (nuclear)?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Bone scan (nuclear). It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $259. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $52 — unless a Medicare Advantage or supplemental (Medigap) plan covers it.

General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 2151 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $1,378, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $2,426, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $600, a Medicare rate of about $259. Most cash prices fall between $485 and $3,675 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

  • Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
  • Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
  • Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
  • Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
  • If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Bone scan (nuclear) cost without insurance?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 2151 US hospitals is $1,378. Most hospitals fall between $485 and $3,675. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
Does Medicare cover Bone scan (nuclear)?
Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part B as an outpatient service (Medicare-approved amount about $259). After your Part B deductible you typically owe 20% coinsurance, unless a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan covers it.
What does Medicare pay for Bone scan (nuclear)?
Medicare pays about $259. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.
Why do Bone scan (nuclear) prices vary between hospitals?
Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

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