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Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

Nuclear Stress Test Cost in Massachusetts (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a nuclear stress test cost in Massachusetts?

You could pay $1,416 or $3,138 for the same nuclear stress test in Massachusetts - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 45 reporting hospitals is $2,164. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

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Where nuclear stress test costs vary in Massachusetts

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby outpatient clinics and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

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26+ people checked prices near them this month.

What you pay for a nuclear stress test depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

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Cheapest Nuclear Stress Test Providers in Massachusetts

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs median ($2,164)
1 New England Baptist Hospital Boston, MA $1,014 $1,150 below
2 Baystate Franklin Medical Center Greenfield, MA $1,146 $1,018 below
3 HENRY HEYWOOD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Gardner, MA $1,153 $1,011 below
4 ATHOL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL INCORPORATED Athol, MA $1,153 $1,011 below
5 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth Plymouth, MA $1,252 $912 below
6 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham Needham, MA $1,252 $912 below
7 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston, MA $1,255 $909 below
8 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton Inc Milton, MA $1,255 $909 below

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Before you book: three questions that change the price

  1. Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
  2. Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
  3. What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost →  ·  When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →

Quick take

  • New England Baptist Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $1,014 - $1,150 below the median posted price ($2,164), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $2,164, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Doctor offices and independent clinics may charge differently from hospitals for the same service and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset. Ask your doctor whether another site is an option.
Nuclear stress test prices by coverage in Massachusetts, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,323 to $1,323$1,323
With insurance (commercial, average)30$1,331 to $3,178$2,467
Without insurance (cash price)48$1,000 to $4,186$2,164
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts28$1,405 to $3,538$1,978
UnitedHealthcare22$1,306 to $3,592$1,639
Aetna15$424 to $4,113$1,487
Cigna12$1,813 to $5,223$3,896

Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.

How much does a nuclear stress test cost with Medicare in Massachusetts?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for nuclear stress test is about $1,323 to $1,323 (typically near $1,323). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $265 on a $1,323 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.

How much does a nuclear stress test cost with insurance in Massachusetts?

Across 30 Massachusetts hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for nuclear stress test average $1,331 to $3,178 per hospital, with a median near $2,467. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.

Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.

How much does a nuclear stress test cost without insurance in Massachusetts?

Cash (self-pay) prices for nuclear stress test at 48 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,000 to $4,186, with a median of $2,164. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.

Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.

How much does a nuclear stress test cost with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 28 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,405 to $3,538, with a median near $1,978. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.

Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.

How much does a nuclear stress test cost with UnitedHealthcare in Massachusetts?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 22 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,306 to $3,592, with a median near $1,639. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a nuclear stress test cost with Aetna in Massachusetts?

Aetna negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 15 Massachusetts hospitals range from $424 to $4,113, with a median near $1,487. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a nuclear stress test cost with Cigna in Massachusetts?

Cigna negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 12 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,813 to $5,223, with a median near $3,896. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How where you go changes what you pay for nuclear stress test

The same nuclear stress test bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.

Hospital Outpatient
$774–$7,689
  • Facility fee $312–$5,993
  • Professional fee $462–$1,696

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$1,608–$7,703
  • Facility fee $1,146–$6,007
  • Professional fee $462–$1,696

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Massachusetts has the highest commercial hospital reimbursement rates in the country, driven by extreme labor costs, the dominance of Mass General Brigham (Partners HealthCare), and a regulatory environment that has struggled to contain negotiated rate growth. The state has enacted multiple price transparency and rate growth laws aimed at curbing this pattern. Self-pay cash discounts in Massachusetts tend to be proportionally larger than in other high-cost states.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $2,029 versus $2,816 inpatient (about 1.4× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$2,164
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$433
Out-of-network provider $4,761+

Frequently asked questions: nuclear stress test costs in Massachusetts

How much does a nuclear stress test cost in Massachusetts?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $864, with most facilities between $431 and $1,254 (based on 45 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Massachusetts hospitals run $1,000–$4,186; outlier facilities above and below that range are left out. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get a nuclear stress test in Massachusetts?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Massachusetts data is New England Baptist Hospital in Boston at about $1,014. By metro, Boston has the lowest median ($1,255).

Why is a nuclear stress test so much cheaper at some Massachusetts hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 2.9× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Massachusetts, the median cash (self-pay) price is $2,164 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,467 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a nuclear stress test in Massachusetts?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Before you book

Other procedures in Massachusetts

Nuclear Stress Test, elsewhere

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).

Other Procedure Costs in Massachusetts

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Emergency care

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About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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