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

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

What does a pet scan cost in Iowa?

Where you have a pet scan done in Iowa swings the bill from $2,786 to $4,897 for identical care. The median cash price across 44 reporting hospitals is $4,061. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Three low-priced facilities in Iowa, from hospital price files

  • Broadlawns Medical Center · Des Moines, IA $1,381
  • MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center · Davenport, IA $1,396
  • MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center · Davenport, IA $1,396

All 44 facilities are listed below, free.

Where pet scan costs vary in Iowa

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 Iowa

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($4,061)
1 Broadlawns Medical Center Des Moines, IA $1,381 $2,680 below
2 MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport, IA $1,396 $2,665 below
3 MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center Davenport, IA $1,396 $2,665 below
4 Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Council Bluffs, IA $1,421 $2,640 below
5 Grundy County Memorial Hospital Grundy Center, IA $2,385 $1,676 below
6 Greene County Medical Center Jefferson, IA $2,467 $1,594 below
7 ALEGENT HEALTH - MERCY HOSPITAL, CORNING IOWA Corning, IA $2,573 $1,488 below
8 CHI Health Missouri Valley Missouri Valley, IA $2,626 $1,435 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

  • Broadlawns Medical Center is the lowest-cost option at $1,381 - $2,680 below the median posted price ($4,061), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $4,061, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
PET Scan prices by coverage in Iowa, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,461 to $1,461$1,461
With insurance (commercial, average)32$1,714 to $4,468$3,075
Without insurance (cash price)47$1,355 to $6,992$4,061
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield9$193 to $3,994$2,775
UnitedHealthcare27$2,015 to $5,232$3,746
Aetna23$636 to $5,193$3,239
Cigna13$2,072 to $4,658$3,216

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 Iowa?

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 Iowa?

Across 32 Iowa hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for PET Scan average $1,714 to $4,468 per hospital, with a median near $3,075. 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 Iowa?

Cash (self-pay) prices for PET Scan at 47 Iowa hospitals range from $1,355 to $6,992, with a median of $4,061. 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 Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Iowa?

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for PET Scan at 9 Iowa hospitals range from $193 to $3,994, with a median near $2,775. 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 Iowa?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for PET Scan at 27 Iowa hospitals range from $2,015 to $5,232, with a median near $3,746. 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 Iowa?

Aetna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 23 Iowa hospitals range from $636 to $5,193, with a median near $3,239. 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 Iowa?

Cigna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 13 Iowa hospitals range from $2,072 to $4,658, with a median near $3,216. 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
$1,255–$12,637
  • Facility fee $1,255–$12,637

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$2,720–$12,637
  • Facility fee $2,720–$12,637

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Iowa's hospital market is dominated by UnityPoint Health and MercyOne (CommonSpirit), with relatively limited inter-system competition in most markets. Des Moines prices run below national averages, but facility fees at affiliated hospital systems can add substantially to the base service rates. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is the primary academic referral center.

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 (4) report prices above $8,810, including OTTUMWA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER at $12,637, 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 $4,061 versus $5,796 inpatient (about 1.4× 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 ~$4,061
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$812
Out-of-network provider $8,934+

Frequently asked questions: PET Scan costs in Iowa

How much does a PET Scan cost in Iowa?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,353, with most facilities between $1,227 and $1,439 (based on 44 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Iowa hospitals run $1,355–$6,992; 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 Iowa?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Iowa data is Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines at about $1,381. By metro, Council Bluffs has the lowest median ($2,112). 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 Iowa hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 1.2× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Iowa, the median cash (self-pay) price is $4,061 versus a median negotiated rate of $3,075 - about 1.3× higher. 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 Iowa?

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 Iowa

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 Iowa

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.