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

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

What does a nuclear stress test cost in South Carolina?

The same nuclear stress test in South Carolina might cost you $1,140 at one facility and $2,186 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 51 reporting hospitals is $1,305. These figures come straight from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Three low-priced facilities in South Carolina, from hospital price files

  • AnMed Piedmont $387
  • AnMed Health · Anderson, SC $422
  • MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast · Columbia, SC $817

All 51 facilities are listed below, free.

Where nuclear stress test costs vary in South Carolina

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.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

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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  • ✓ Radiotracer: The tracer injected for the images is often billed separately from the scan itself.
  • ✓ Stress method: Exercise and medicine-induced stress are billed differently, and hospitals report the stress and imaging parts as separate lines.
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  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, so the estimate covers everything
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Cheapest Nuclear Stress Test Providers in South Carolina

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,305)
1 AnMed Piedmont SC $387 $918 below
2 AnMed Health Anderson, SC $422 $883 below
3 MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast Columbia, SC $817 $488 below
4 Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown Columbia, SC $817 $488 below
5 Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC $817 $488 below
6 MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC $830 $475 below
7 MUSC Health Black River Medical Center Cades, SC $1,013 $292 below
8 MUSC Chester Regional Medical Center Chester, SC $1,140 $165 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

  • AnMed Piedmont is the lowest-cost option at $387 - $918 below the median posted price ($1,305), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,305, 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 South Carolina, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,323 to $1,323$1,323
With insurance (commercial, average)29$1,054 to $2,661$1,309
Without insurance (cash price)52$380 to $2,538$1,305
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina24$1,040 to $1,783$1,303
Cigna14$1,042 to $3,625$2,088
Aetna9$159 to $3,056$853
UnitedHealthcare9$1,306 to $3,149$2,611

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 South Carolina?

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 South Carolina?

Across 29 South Carolina hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for nuclear stress test average $1,054 to $2,661 per hospital, with a median near $1,309. 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 South Carolina?

Cash (self-pay) prices for nuclear stress test at 52 South Carolina hospitals range from $380 to $2,538, with a median of $1,305. 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 and Blue Shield of South Carolina?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 24 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,040 to $1,783, with a median near $1,303. 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 Cigna in South Carolina?

Cigna negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 14 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,042 to $3,625, with a median near $2,088. 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 much does a nuclear stress test cost with Aetna in South Carolina?

Aetna negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 9 South Carolina hospitals range from $159 to $3,056, with a median near $853. 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 UnitedHealthcare in South Carolina?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for nuclear stress test at 9 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,306 to $3,149, with a median near $2,611. 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 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
$841–$5,450
  • Facility fee $379–$3,754
  • Professional fee $462–$1,696

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$833–$5,450
  • Facility fee $371–$3,754
  • Professional fee $462–$1,696

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Prisma Health (formed from Palmetto Health and Greenville Health System) and Roper St. Francis are the two largest health systems, anchoring the Midlands and Lowcountry respectively. South Carolina's delayed Medicaid expansion maintained a higher uninsured population for years, influencing charity care structures and cash price policies at many facilities.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →

Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $1,305 versus $2,186 inpatient (about 1.7× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

None of the prices above are what you'll necessarily owe: your deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, and each provider's network status all still apply.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$1,305
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$261
Out-of-network provider $2,871+

Frequently asked questions: nuclear stress test costs in South Carolina

How much does a nuclear stress test cost in South Carolina?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $234, with most facilities between $192 and $903 (based on 43 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of South Carolina hospitals run $380–$2,538; 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 South Carolina?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our South Carolina data is AnMed Piedmont at about $387. By metro, Greer has the lowest median ($1,710).

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

Typical prices vary about 4.7× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In South Carolina, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,305 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,309 - 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 South Carolina?

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 South Carolina

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 South Carolina

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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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