CostKits Healthcare, Organized
Login
Home Tools Procedure Costs Learn
Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

PET Scan Cost in Alabama (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a pet scan cost in Alabama?

You could pay $1,294 or $2,674 for the same pet scan in Alabama - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 46 reporting hospitals is $1,496. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Once you have a bill or an appointment on the calendar, CostKits can help you keep it all organized.

Where pet scan costs vary in Alabama

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby imaging centers 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 pet scan depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ Tracer: The tracer drug is billed separately from the scan at many hospitals, so the listed price may not include it.
  • ✓ PET vs. PET/CT: A combined PET/CT is priced differently from a PET alone.
  • ✓ Which bills usually arrive separately, and which providers to check are in-network
  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, so the estimate covers everything
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients - takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll send a sign-in link to your email - click it to get your guide. No account required, no spam.

Cheapest PET Scan Providers in Alabama

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,496)
1 Andalusia Health Andalusia, AL $1,232 $264 below
2 J. PAUL JONES HOSPITAL AL $1,232 $264 below
3 HILL HOSPITAL OF YORK AL $1,232 $264 below
4 East Alabama Medical Center AL $1,233 $263 below
5 Baptist Health Walker Hospital Jasper, AL $1,250 $246 below
6 HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL Madison, AL $1,251 $245 below
7 Baptist Health Citizens Hospital Talladega, AL $1,269 $227 below
8 Riverview Regional Medical Center AL $1,276 $220 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

  • Andalusia Health is the lowest-cost option at $1,232 - $264 below the median posted price ($1,496), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,496, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
PET Scan prices by coverage in Alabama, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,461 to $1,461$1,461
With insurance (commercial, average)32$1,214 to $2,614$1,882
Without insurance (cash price)47$1,232 to $4,721$1,496
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama15$1,232 to $2,101$1,304
UnitedHealthcare21$1,232 to $2,886$1,332
Aetna16$927 to $3,677$2,324
Cigna16$724 to $2,229$1,386

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 PET Scan cost with Medicare in Alabama?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for PET Scan is about $1,461 to $1,461 (typically near $1,461). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $292 on a $1,461 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 PET Scan cost with insurance in Alabama?

Across 32 Alabama hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for PET Scan average $1,214 to $2,614 per hospital, with a median near $1,882. 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 PET Scan cost without insurance in Alabama?

Cash (self-pay) prices for PET Scan at 47 Alabama hospitals range from $1,232 to $4,721, with a median of $1,496. 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 PET Scan cost with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama negotiated rates for PET Scan at 15 Alabama hospitals range from $1,232 to $2,101, with a median near $1,304. 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 PET Scan cost with UnitedHealthcare in Alabama?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for PET Scan at 21 Alabama hospitals range from $1,232 to $2,886, with a median near $1,332. 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 PET Scan cost with Aetna in Alabama?

Aetna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 16 Alabama hospitals range from $927 to $3,677, with a median near $2,324. 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 PET Scan cost with Cigna in Alabama?

Cigna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 16 Alabama hospitals range from $724 to $2,229, with a median near $1,386. 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 pet scan

The same pet scan 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
$861–$5,655
  • Facility fee $861–$5,655

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$1,042–$6,850
  • Facility fee $1,042–$6,850

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Alabama's hospital market is concentrated around UAB Health System in Birmingham and Baptist Health statewide, limiting competitive pricing pressure outside the major metros. Rural facilities operate with thinner margins and fewer negotiated-rate contracts, which typically produces higher list prices alongside steeper cash discounts.

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

A small number of hospitals (3) report prices above $5,536, including NOLAND HOSPITAL TUSCALOOSA II, LLC at $6,850, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $1,470 versus $2,979 inpatient (about 2× 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 ~$1,496
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$299
Out-of-network provider $3,291+

Frequently asked questions: PET Scan costs in Alabama

How much does a PET Scan cost in Alabama?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,241, with most facilities between $972 and $1,294 (based on 44 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Alabama hospitals run $1,232–$4,721; 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 PET Scan in Alabama?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Alabama data is Andalusia Health in Andalusia at about $1,232. By metro, Birmingham has the lowest median ($1,294). Independent imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is a PET Scan so much cheaper at some Alabama hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 1.3× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Alabama, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,496 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,882 - 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 PET Scan in Alabama?

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 Alabama

PET Scan, 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 Alabama

Imaging and scans

Heart and cardiac tests

Sleep and breathing tests

Scopes and screening

Bone, joint and pain

General surgery

Lab tests

Ear, nose and throat

Urology and women's health

Eye care

Infusions

Emergency care

Interested in understanding healthcare costs and managing your medical expenses?

About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

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

Connect on LinkedIn →

Ready to take control of your healthcare costs?

Use the free cost estimator →  ·  Get your bill screened for free →  ·  See the family plan →

Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

Track Your Healthcare Costs

Create a free account to save procedures, compare prices, and analyze future medical bills.