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

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

What does a pet scan cost in Louisiana?

Where you have a pet scan done in Louisiana swings the bill from $1,279 to $2,127 for identical care. The median cash price across 45 reporting hospitals is $1,443. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. 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 Louisiana

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.

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  • ✓ 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
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Cheapest PET Scan Providers in Louisiana

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,443)
1 East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA $652 $791 below
2 Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA $652 $791 below
3 Lakeview Hospital Covington, LA $652 $791 below
4 Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA $652 $791 below
5 OCHSNER MORGAN CITY LLC Morgan City, LA $748 $695 below
6 Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA $785 $658 below
7 St James Parish Hospital Lutcher, LA $1,000 $443 below
8 EAST BATON ROUGE MEDICAL CENTER, LLC Baton Rouge, LA $1,011 $432 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

  • East Jefferson General Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $652 - $791 below the median posted price ($1,443), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,443, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
PET Scan prices by coverage in Louisiana, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,461 to $1,461$1,461
With insurance (commercial, average)16$1,035 to $3,840$1,854
Without insurance (cash price)45$652 to $4,120$1,443
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana14$1,073 to $3,987$1,645
UnitedHealthcare13$775 to $3,198$1,420
Aetna12$262 to $3,214$1,363
Cigna10$1,130 to $4,046$3,288

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 Louisiana?

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 Louisiana?

Across 16 Louisiana hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for PET Scan average $1,035 to $3,840 per hospital, with a median near $1,854. 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 Louisiana?

Cash (self-pay) prices for PET Scan at 45 Louisiana hospitals range from $652 to $4,120, with a median of $1,443. 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 Louisiana?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana negotiated rates for PET Scan at 14 Louisiana hospitals range from $1,073 to $3,987, with a median near $1,645. 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 Louisiana?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for PET Scan at 13 Louisiana hospitals range from $775 to $3,198, with a median near $1,420. 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 Louisiana?

Aetna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 12 Louisiana hospitals range from $262 to $3,214, with a median near $1,363. 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 Louisiana?

Cigna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 10 Louisiana hospitals range from $1,130 to $4,046, with a median near $3,288. 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
$544–$6,558
  • Facility fee $544–$6,558

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$3,110–$6,558
  • Facility fee $3,110–$6,558

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

LCMC Health, Ochsner Health System, and Willis-Knighton are the major players in Louisiana's concentrated hospital market. Louisana Medicaid covers a substantial share of the population, and many facilities carry high uncompensated care costs that influence their list price structures. Louisiana prices on the commercial side tend to run above the Southeast average.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (2) report prices above $4,746, including NORTHERN LOUISIANA MEDICAL CENTER at $6,558, 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 $1,367 versus $4,120 inpatient (about 3× 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 ~$1,443
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$289
Out-of-network provider $3,175+

Frequently asked questions: PET Scan costs in Louisiana

How much does a PET Scan cost in Louisiana?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,114, with most facilities between $456 and $1,294 (based on 40 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Louisiana hospitals run $652–$4,120; 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 Louisiana?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Louisiana data is East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie at about $652. By metro, New Orleans has the lowest median ($1,262). 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 Louisiana hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 2.8× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Louisiana, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,443 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,854 - 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 Louisiana?

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 Louisiana

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 Louisiana

Imaging and scans

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General surgery

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Urology and women's health

Eye care

Infusions

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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