Thyroid uptake scan is a diagnostic imaging scan. Prices are from 2006 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $877 — about 6.0× the Medicare rate ($145). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($291).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,533 list price could save about $656 (43%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor Medical Center at Trophy Club | Trophy Club, TX | $133 | $970 | — | 90 min | 14.6% |
| Ochsner St Mary | Morgan City, LA | $134 | $366 | ★ 2/5 | 81 min | 15.4% |
| Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent | Shreveport, LA | $134 | $366 | ★ 2/5 | — | — |
| McLaren Macomb | Mount Clemens, MI | $136 | $220 | ★ 1/5 | 168 min | 15.2% |
| El Paso Children's Hospital | El Paso, TX | $139 | $256 | — | — | — |
| Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital | Nacogdoches, TX | $142 | $382 | ★ 2/5 | 178 min | 15.4% |
| University Health System, Inc | Knoxville, TN | $142 | $367 | ★ 4/5 | 245 min | 14.9% |
| East Tennessee Childrens Hospital | Knoxville, TN | $142 | $367 | — | — | — |
| Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital | Shelbyville, TN | $146 | $146 | ★ 4/5 | 123 min | 13.6% |
| Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital | Tullahoma, TN | $146 | $146 | ★ 3/5 | 173 min | 15.1% |
| Seton Medical Center Harker Heights | Harker Heights, TX | $147 | $633 | ★ 4/5 | 174 min | 16.3% |
| CHI Health Nebraska Heart | Lincoln, NE | $148 | $229 | ★ 4/5 | — | 13.3% |
| CHI St Alexius Health Williston | Williston, ND | $150 | $130 | ★ 3/5 | 157 min | 15.6% |
| Baptist Health Medical Center-Drew County | Monticello, AR | $151 | $397 | ★ 2/5 | 126 min | 18.1% |
| Baptist Health-Fort Smith | Fort Smith, AR | $151 | $397 | ★ 2/5 | 114 min | 15.2% |
| Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway | Conway, AR | $151 | $391 | ★ 2/5 | 148 min | 15.6% |
| Banner Heart Hospital | Mesa, AZ | $152 | $428 | ★ 2/5 | — | 14.4% |
| Windom Area Health | Windom, MN | $157 | $473 | — | 108 min | 14.7% |
| Sidney Health Center | Sidney, MT | $158 | $247 | ★ 3/5 | 152 min | 14.7% |
| King's Daughters Medical Center-Brookhaven | Brookhaven, MS | $161 | $496 | ★ 3/5 | 136 min | 15.3% |
| Jefferson Health-Northeast | Philadelphia, PA | $174 | $29 | ★ 2/5 | 290 min | 15.4% |
| Bassett Healthcare | Cooperstown, NY | $175 | $32 | ★ 2/5 | 199 min | 15.6% |
| Cox Barton County Hospital | Lamar, MO | $175 | $1,385 | — | 86 min | 14.8% |
| Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital | Camden, NJ | $176 | — | ★ 2/5 | 161 min | 15.4% |
| Virtua Willingboro Hospital | Willingboro, NJ | $176 | — | ★ 3/5 | 181 min | 14.8% |
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 Thyroid uptake scan
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: $877; Medicare pays $145.
| Insurer | Hospitals | Negotiated median |
|---|---|---|
| Univera | 16 |
$19 – $258 |
| Medicaid | 291 |
$27 – $572 |
| Amerigroup | 163 |
$81 – $462 |
| Independent Health | 24 |
$77 – $807 |
| Highmark | 117 |
$50 – $871 |
| Priority Health | 53 |
$16 – $943 |
| AmeriHealth | 214 |
$20 – $572 |
| Anthem | 511 |
$29 – $1,167 |
| Geisinger | 64 |
$27 – $1,506 |
| Molina Healthcare | 526 |
$46 – $744 |
| SelectHealth | 45 |
$77 – $926 |
| Centene / Ambetter | 698 |
$53 – $701 |
| Devoted Health | 168 |
$191 – $450 |
| Tricare / VA | 361 |
$80 – $832 |
| Humana | 927 |
$75 – $1,231 |
| Medicare | 496 |
$60 – $553 |
| MVP Health Care | 76 |
$25 – $1,409 |
| UCare | 64 |
$23 – $1,134 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 1300 |
$63 – $1,368 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 1105 |
$68 – $1,541 |
| HealthPartners | 209 |
$50 – $1,284 |
| Harvard Pilgrim | 47 |
$28 – $1,419 |
| UPMC Health Plan | 99 |
$132 – $1,664 |
| Aetna | 1243 |
$73 – $1,607 |
| Medica | 171 |
$62 – $1,478 |
| Security Health Plan | 59 |
$65 – $1,322 |
| EmblemHealth | 62 |
$32 – $900 |
| Oscar Health | 145 |
$50 – $1,001 |
| Workers' Comp / No-Fault | 128 |
$382 – $1,523 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 220 |
$214 – $1,680 |
| Cigna | 1010 |
$156 – $1,638 |
| Bright Health | 40 |
$398 – $900 |
| Sanford Health Plan | 60 |
$81 – $1,461 |
| AvMed | 63 |
$206 – $2,001 |
| Coventry | 126 |
$204 – $2,152 |
| Health Net | 289 |
$214 – $3,034 |
| Healthcare Highways | 41 |
$176 – $1,813 |
| MultiPlan / PHCS network | 782 |
$309 – $2,508 |
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
| State | Median cash |
|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | $107 |
| Mississippi | $309 |
| Louisiana | $393 |
| Arizona | $406 |
| Arkansas | $439 |
| Tennessee | $452 |
Prices by city
Prices by state
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.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franco Policaro, M.D. | Nuclear Medicine | El Segundo, CA | 49 |
| Ethan Spiegler, MD | Nuclear Medicine | Baltimore, MD | 43 |
| Lisa Kalimi, MD | Nuclear Medicine | Lindenhurst, NY | 38 |
| William Pace, MD | Nuclear Medicine | Camarillo, CA | 29 |
| Stephen Chiang, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Houston, TX | 27 |
| Mark Bernard, MD | Nuclear Medicine | Fresno, CA | 26 |
| Francis Isidoro, M.D. | Nuclear Medicine | Stockton, CA | 25 |
| Yamil Fourzali Sabbag, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Fort Myers, FL | 19 |
| Kin Wong, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Dayton, OH | 19 |
| Julio Cordero, MD | Nuclear Medicine | Evanston, IL | 19 |
| Khurram Rashid, M.D. | Nuclear Medicine | Clinton Township, MI | 19 |
| Patrick Ford, M.D. | Nuclear Medicine | Houston, TX | 18 |
Does Medicare cover Thyroid uptake scan?
Yes — Medicare generally covers Thyroid uptake scan. It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $145. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $29 — 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 2006 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $877, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $1,533, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $493, a Medicare rate of about $145. Most cash prices fall between $309 and $2,229 — 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 Thyroid uptake scan cost without insurance?
Does Medicare cover Thyroid uptake scan?
What does Medicare pay for Thyroid uptake scan?
Why do Thyroid uptake scan prices vary between hospitals?
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
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