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

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

What does a pet scan cost in South Carolina?

The same pet scan in South Carolina might cost you $1,382 at one facility and $3,757 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 49 reporting hospitals is $2,205. These figures come straight 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 South Carolina

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 South Carolina

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($2,205)
1 MUSC Health Black River Medical Center Cades, SC $1,329 $876 below
2 MUSC Health Marion Medical Center Mullins, SC $1,329 $876 below
3 MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC $1,329 $876 below
4 Medical University Hospital Authority Orangeburg, SC $1,329 $876 below
5 MUSC Health Florence Medical Center Florence, SC $1,329 $876 below
6 Beaufort Memorial Hospital Beaufort, SC $1,341 $864 below
7 Cherokee Medical Center Gaffney, SC $1,351 $854 below
8 Conway Hospital, Inc. SC $1,359 $846 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

  • MUSC Health Black River Medical Center is the lowest-cost option at $1,329 - $876 below the median posted price ($2,205), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $2,205, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
PET Scan prices by coverage in South Carolina, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$1,461 to $1,461$1,461
With insurance (commercial, average)31$1,511 to $4,220$2,435
Without insurance (cash price)50$1,329 to $3,793$2,205
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina24$1,572 to $2,898$2,391
Cigna16$1,361 to $6,844$3,083
Aetna11$2,460 to $5,076$3,242
UnitedHealthcare11$1,480 to $3,242$2,917

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 South Carolina?

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 South Carolina?

Across 31 South Carolina hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for PET Scan average $1,511 to $4,220 per hospital, with a median near $2,435. 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 South Carolina?

Cash (self-pay) prices for PET Scan at 50 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,329 to $3,793, with a median of $2,205. 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 South Carolina?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina negotiated rates for PET Scan at 24 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,572 to $2,898, with a median near $2,391. 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 Cigna in South Carolina?

Cigna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 16 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,361 to $6,844, with a median near $3,083. 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 much does a PET Scan cost with Aetna in South Carolina?

Aetna negotiated rates for PET Scan at 11 South Carolina hospitals range from $2,460 to $5,076, with a median near $3,242. 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 South Carolina?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for PET Scan at 11 South Carolina hospitals range from $1,480 to $3,242, with a median near $2,917. 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 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
$850–$10,167
  • Facility fee $850–$10,167

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$3,108–$10,167
  • Facility fee $3,108–$10,167

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Prisma Health (formed from Palmetto Health and Greenville Health System) and Roper St. Francis are the two largest health systems, anchoring the Midlands and Lowcountry respectively. South Carolina's delayed Medicaid expansion maintained a higher uninsured population for years, influencing charity care structures and cash price policies at many facilities.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (2) report prices above $7,326, including AMISUB OF SOUTH CAROLINA, INC. at $10,167, 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 $2,205 versus $3,757 inpatient (about 1.7× 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 ~$2,205
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$441
Out-of-network provider $4,851+

Frequently asked questions: PET Scan costs in South Carolina

How much does a PET Scan cost in South Carolina?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,329, with most facilities between $890 and $1,376 (based on 47 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of South Carolina hospitals run $1,329–$3,793; 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 South Carolina?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our South Carolina data is MUSC Health Black River Medical Center in Cades at about $1,329. By metro, Spartanburg has the lowest median ($2,418). 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina, the median cash (self-pay) price is $2,205 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,435 - 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 South Carolina?

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 South Carolina

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 South Carolina

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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