go back

Nuclear Scan for Thyroid Cancer That Has Spread

Virginia 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?

$288

Typical negotiated rate. In Virginia, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $288 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $282 from a physician practice, and about $355 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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$282$240 to $347
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$355$145 to $741

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $355 · 10th to 90th $43 to $1,202Professionalmedian $282 · 10th to 90th $174 to $468
$50$200$1K$5Kfacility $355professional $282

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
$251.19
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$257.04
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$269.15
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$28.18
Median
$30.90
Typical High
$32.36
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$223.87
Typical High
$239.88
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$812.83
Median
$1,023.29
Typical High
$1,318.26
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$363.08
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$30.20
Median
$35.48
Typical High
$45.71
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$208.93
Median
$245.47
Typical High
$309.03
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$33.88
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$316.23
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$30.20
Median
$30.20
Typical High
$44.67
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$281.84
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$741.31
Typical High
$1,288.25
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$295.12
Typical High
$501.19
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$26.92
Median
$46.77
Typical High
$72.44
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$177.83
Median
$239.88
Typical High
$436.52
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$251.19
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$363.08
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$251.19
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$389.05
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$426.58
Typical High
$524.81
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$239.88
Typical High
$239.88
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$39.81
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$1,071.52
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$44.67
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$676.08
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$41.69
Median
$47.86
Typical High
$83.18
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$213.80
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$602.56
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$758.58
Median
$831.76
Typical High
$1,862.09
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$389.05
Typical High
$588.84
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$28.84
Median
$51.29
Typical High
$72.44
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$512.86
3 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
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$117.49
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$134.90
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$47.86
Median
$50.12
Typical High
$53.70
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
FX · Film X-ray
Typical Low
$199.53
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$204.17

Where Virginia 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.

Virginia· 39th of 51

$288

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.