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Nuclear Scan for Active Bowel Bleeding

Colorado rates for HCPCS 78278

A nuclear scan used to find where bleeding is coming from in the digestive tract. The patient's own red blood cells are labeled with a tracer and returned to the bloodstream, and the camera then watches for tracer collecting and moving inside the bowel, which marks the point where blood is escaping. It can catch bleeding that is too slow or too intermittent to find another way.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Nuclear Scan for Active Bowel Bleeding cost?

$513

Typical negotiated rate. In Colorado, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $513 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $501 from a physician practice, and about $776 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 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$501$380 to $661
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$776$407 to $1,000

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $776 · 10th to 90th $162 to $1,585Professionalmedian $501 · 10th to 90th $302 to $813
$200$500$1Kfacility $776professional $501

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
$120.23
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$331.13
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$537.03
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$42.66
Median
$46.77
Typical High
$72.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$467.74
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$724.44
Median
$870.96
Typical High
$1,584.89
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$549.54
Typical High
$933.25
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$51.29
Median
$74.13
Typical High
$147.91
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$323.59
Median
$478.63
Typical High
$812.83
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$117.49
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$1,621.81
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$281.84
Median
$457.09
Typical High
$758.58
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$44.67
Median
$63.10
Typical High
$102.33
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$660.69
Denver HMP
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$331.13
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$512.86
Denver HMP
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$602.56
Typical High
$602.56
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$309.03
Median
$512.86
Typical High
$676.08
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$43.65
Median
$72.44
Typical High
$95.50
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$436.52
Typical High
$575.44
Select Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$323.59
Median
$602.56
Typical High
$676.08
Select Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$446.68
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,737.80
Median
$1,819.70
Typical High
$2,089.30
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None (both parts)
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$549.54
Typical High
$831.76
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
26 · Professional part
Typical Low
$40.74
Median
$75.86
Typical High
$117.49
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
TC · Technical part
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$467.74
Typical High
$691.83
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
$131.83
Median
$165.96
Typical High
$199.53
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$52.48
Median
$66.07
Typical High
$81.28
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
FX · Film X-ray
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$323.59

Where Colorado sits

The same service costs 3.8 times more in Alaska than in Florida. 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.

Colorado· 13th of 51

$513

AK $1,047FL $275

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.