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Nuclear Scan for Thyroid Cancer That Has Spread

California rates for HCPCS 78016

A nuclear medicine scan that searches for thyroid tissue or thyroid cancer sitting outside the thyroid gland itself. The person is given a small amount of radioactive iodine, which thyroid cells take up wherever they are in the body, and a scanner then shows where it has collected.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Nuclear Scan for Thyroid Cancer That Has Spread cost?

$363

Typical negotiated rate. In California, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $363 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $355 from a physician practice, and about $1,122 from a hospital or other facility.

These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 12 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$355$309 to $955
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$1,122$513 to $1,479

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,122 · 10th to 90th $275 to $2,089Professionalmedian $355 · 10th to 90th $245 to $1,738
$50$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,122professional $355

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$309.03
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$2,238.72
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$707.95
Typical High
$1,698.24
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$354.81
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$30.90
Median
$34.67
Typical High
$35.48
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$275.42
Typical High
$316.23
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$42.66
Median
$1,318.26
Typical High
$1,348.96
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$1,202.26
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$41.69
Median
$46.77
Typical High
$151.36
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$1,047.13
Blue Shield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$309.03
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$1,698.24
Blue Shield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$245.47
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$912.01
Blue Shield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$26.92
Median
$38.90
Typical High
$100.00
Blue Shield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$218.78
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$812.83
Central California Alliance for Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$389.05
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$512.86
Median
$1,445.44
Typical High
$2,884.03
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$776.25
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$28.84
Median
$42.66
Typical High
$93.33
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$707.95
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$346.74
Typical High
$416.87
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$12.02
Median
$36.31
Typical High
$43.65
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$371.54
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$812.83
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$31.62
Median
$45.71
Typical High
$102.33
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$371.54
Typical High
$851.14
Lucent Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$1,737.80
Median
$1,737.80
Typical High
$2,187.76
Lucent Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$371.54
Median
$371.54
Typical High
$371.54
Lucent Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$1,513.56
Median
$1,513.56
Typical High
$1,905.46
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$32.36
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$239.88
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$1,071.52
Typical High
$2,238.72
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$812.83
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$28.84
Median
$41.69
Typical High
$95.50
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$275.42
Typical High
$758.58
Sutter Health Plus
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$954.99
Typical High
$954.99
Sutter Health Plus
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$112.20
Typical High
$112.20
Sutter Health Plus
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$851.14
Median
$851.14
Typical High
$851.14
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$660.69
Median
$660.69
Typical High
$1,000.00
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$295.12
Typical High
$1,096.48
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$29.51
Median
$38.90
Typical High
$128.82
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$1,023.29
6 more rates with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$851.14
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$61.66
Median
$141.25
Typical High
$338.84
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
FX · Film X-ray
Typical Low
$251.19
Median
$562.34
Typical High
$1,348.96
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$177.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$52.48
Median
$61.66
Typical High
$70.79
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
FX · Film X-ray
Typical Low
$208.93
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$281.84

Where California sits

The same service costs 4.6 times more in Alaska than in Texas. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.

California· 24th of 51

$363

AK $1,023TX $224

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.