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

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

What does a pet scan cost in California?

The same pet scan in California might cost you $1,711 at one facility and $3,627 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 183 reporting hospitals is $1,886. 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 California, from hospital price files

  • DIGNITY COMMUNITY CARE · Sacramento, CA $1,188
  • Long Beach Memorial Medical Center · Long Beach, CA $1,195
  • MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center · Laguna Hills, CA $1,195

All 183 facilities are listed below, free.

Where pet scan costs vary in California

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

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Cheapest PET Scan Providers in California

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,886)
1 DIGNITY COMMUNITY CARE Sacramento, CA $1,188 $698 below
2 Long Beach Memorial Medical Center Long Beach, CA $1,195 $691 below
3 MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Laguna Hills, CA $1,195 $691 below
4 DOCTORS MEDICAL CENTER OF MODESTO, INC. Modesto, CA $1,302 $584 below
5 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - LOS ANGELES Los Angeles, CA $1,325 $561 below
6 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - BALDWIN PARK Baldwin Park, CA $1,325 $561 below
7 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - DOWNEY Downey, CA $1,325 $561 below
8 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - FONTANA Fontana, CA $1,325 $561 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

  • DIGNITY COMMUNITY CARE is the lowest-cost option at $1,188 - $698 below the median posted price ($1,886), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,870, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
PET Scan prices by coverage in California, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,461 to $1,461$1,461
With insurance (commercial, average)166$1,456 to $8,629$3,963
Without insurance (cash price)194$1,147 to $6,300$1,870
Anthem Blue Cross99$913 to $7,774$3,467
Aetna69$1,415 to $9,904$4,127
UnitedHealthcare61$444 to $5,243$2,309
Cigna55$1,052 to $8,445$4,176

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 California?

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 California?

Across 166 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for PET Scan average $1,456 to $8,629 per hospital, with a median near $3,963. 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 California?

Cash (self-pay) prices for PET Scan at 194 California hospitals range from $1,147 to $6,300, with a median of $1,870. 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 Anthem Blue Cross in California?

Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for PET Scan at 99 California hospitals range from $913 to $7,774, with a median near $3,467. 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 Aetna in California?

Aetna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 69 California hospitals range from $1,415 to $9,904, with a median near $4,127. 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 UnitedHealthcare in California?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for PET Scan at 61 California hospitals range from $444 to $5,243, with a median near $2,309. 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 Cigna in California?

Cigna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 55 California hospitals range from $1,052 to $8,445, with a median near $4,176. 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
$648–$14,394
  • Facility fee $648–$14,394

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$535–$22,653
  • Facility fee $535–$22,653

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states.

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 $9,670, including Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System at $14,394, 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 $1,888 versus $2,039 inpatient, 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 ~$1,886
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$377
Out-of-network provider $4,149+

Frequently asked questions: PET Scan costs in California

How much does a PET Scan cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,816, with most facilities between $1,325 and $1,927 (based on 183 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $1,147–$6,300; 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 California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is DIGNITY COMMUNITY CARE in Sacramento at about $1,188. By metro, San Jose has the lowest median ($990). 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 California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 1.5× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,870 versus a median negotiated rate of $3,963 - 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 California?

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 California

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 California

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.

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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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