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

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

What does a pet scan cost in Massachusetts?

The same pet scan in Massachusetts might cost you $1,842 at one facility and $2,924 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 33 reporting hospitals is $2,470. 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 Massachusetts, from hospital price files

  • VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 9 Inc · Framingham, MA $1,480
  • Northeast Hospital Corporation · Beverly, MA $1,562
  • Anna Jaques Hospital · Newburyport, MA $1,713

All 33 facilities are listed below, free.

Where pet scan costs vary in Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($2,470)
1 VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 9 Inc Framingham, MA $1,480 $990 below
2 Northeast Hospital Corporation Beverly, MA $1,562 $908 below
3 Anna Jaques Hospital Newburyport, MA $1,713 $757 below
4 Mount Auburn Hospital Cambridge, MA $1,713 $757 below
5 Morton Hospital and Medical Center, Inc., Lifespan of Massachusetts - Taunton Inc Taunton, MA $1,713 $757 below
6 Saint Anne's Hospital, Lifespan of Massachusetts - Fall River Inc Fall River, MA $1,713 $757 below
7 New England Baptist Hospital Boston, MA $1,870 $600 below
8 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth Plymouth, MA $1,895 $575 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

  • VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 9 Inc is the lowest-cost option at $1,480 - $990 below the median posted price ($2,470), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $2,470, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
PET Scan prices by coverage in Massachusetts, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,461 to $1,461$1,461
With insurance (commercial, average)22$1,817 to $4,475$2,822
Without insurance (cash price)36$1,480 to $5,778$2,470
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts20$1,569 to $3,517$2,579
UnitedHealthcare14$1,480 to $4,887$2,066
Aetna6$1,536 to $5,053$4,196
Cigna5$3,556 to $22,174$6,243

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 Massachusetts?

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 Massachusetts?

Across 22 Massachusetts hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for PET Scan average $1,817 to $4,475 per hospital, with a median near $2,822. 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 Massachusetts?

Cash (self-pay) prices for PET Scan at 36 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,480 to $5,778, with a median of $2,470. 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 Blue Shield of Massachusetts?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts negotiated rates for PET Scan at 20 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,569 to $3,517, with a median near $2,579. 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 Massachusetts?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for PET Scan at 14 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,480 to $4,887, with a median near $2,066. 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 Massachusetts?

Aetna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 6 Massachusetts hospitals range from $1,536 to $5,053, with a median near $4,196. 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 Massachusetts?

Cigna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 5 Massachusetts hospitals range from $3,556 to $22,174, with a median near $6,243. 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
$875–$8,349
  • Facility fee $875–$8,349

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$2,091–$8,349
  • Facility fee $2,091–$8,349

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Massachusetts has the highest commercial hospital reimbursement rates in the country, driven by extreme labor costs, the dominance of Mass General Brigham (Partners HealthCare), and a regulatory environment that has struggled to contain negotiated rate growth. The state has enacted multiple price transparency and rate growth laws aimed at curbing this pattern. Self-pay cash discounts in Massachusetts tend to be proportionally larger than in other high-cost 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 (1) report prices above $8,168, including VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 7 Inc at $8,349, 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 $2,299 versus $4,332 inpatient (about 1.9× 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 ~$2,470
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$494
Out-of-network provider $5,434+

Frequently asked questions: PET Scan costs in Massachusetts

How much does a PET Scan cost in Massachusetts?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,568, with most facilities between $824 and $1,842 (based on 33 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Massachusetts hospitals run $1,480–$5,778; 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 Massachusetts?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Massachusetts data is VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 9 Inc in Framingham at about $1,480. By metro, Boston has the lowest median ($1,900). 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 Massachusetts hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 2.2× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Massachusetts, the median cash (self-pay) price is $2,470 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,822 - 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 Massachusetts?

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 Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts

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

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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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