Nuclear medicine study of brain with metabolic evaluation
Medicare pricing data for 1,808 providers across 48 states
Prices vary significantly by location — from $65 in Nebraska to $1,533 in Puerto Rico. Where you get this procedure matters more than almost any other factor. Note: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees are billed separately and can be 2-5x the physician fee.
💡 What You Should Know
Nuclear medicine study of brain with metabolic evaluation (HCPCS code 78608) is a medical procedure billed to Medicare. The average Medicare-allowed cost is $689.71, but hospitals typically charge $2,209 — a 3.2x markup. Prices vary significantly by state and provider.
🏷️ Typical Out-of-Pocket Cost
Medicare patients typically pay about 20% of the allowed amount as coinsurance. Based on the average allowed cost of $689.71, your out-of-pocket cost would be approximately $137.94. Actual costs depend on your specific plan, deductible, and whether you've met your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
What Hospitals Charge vs. What Medicare Pays
Hospitals charge 3.2x more than what Medicare allows for this procedure. Medicare actually pays $547.85 on average.
Cost by State
Medicare-allowed amounts vary significantly by state
| State | Allowed Cost | Hospital Charge | Providers | Services | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | $1,533 | $2,120 | 3 | 16 | +122.2% |
| Alabama | $1,372 | $4,980 | 8 | 30 | +98.9% |
| California | $1,149 | $3,374 | 211 | 2,273 | +66.6% |
| Nevada | $1,087 | $4,063 | 26 | 197 | +57.6% |
| Maryland | $1,003 | $2,729 | 58 | 1,003 | +45.5% |
| Florida | $973 | $3,042 | 146 | 1,241 | +41.1% |
| New York | $838 | $3,023 | 137 | 2,753 | +21.5% |
| New Mexico | $774 | $2,520 | 14 | 76 | +12.2% |
| Maine | $739 | $2,793 | 15 | 63 | +7.1% |
| Virginia | $724 | $2,105 | 45 | 368 | +5.0% |
| New Jersey | $711 | $1,899 | 61 | 333 | +3.1% |
| Arizona | $701 | $1,731 | 49 | 641 | +1.6% |
| South Dakota | $681 | $776 | 9 | 31 | -1.2% |
| Georgia | $679 | $1,231 | 16 | 109 | -1.5% |
| Idaho | $640 | $2,105 | 5 | 17 | -7.1% |
| Texas | $631 | $1,969 | 96 | 873 | -8.6% |
| Colorado | $630 | $1,772 | 30 | 83 | -8.7% |
| Wisconsin | $564 | $2,494 | 40 | 168 | -18.2% |
| Washington | $540 | $1,385 | 40 | 289 | -21.7% |
| North Carolina | $426 | $1,111 | 38 | 93 | -38.2% |
| Massachusetts | $366 | $1,972 | 84 | 617 | -46.9% |
| Illinois | $353 | $1,385 | 81 | 458 | -48.9% |
| Oregon | $344 | $1,051 | 21 | 94 | -50.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $335 | $1,016 | 85 | 498 | -51.4% |
| Tennessee | $309 | $1,372 | 28 | 247 | -55.2% |
| Louisiana | $292 | $858 | 22 | 53 | -57.7% |
| Mississippi | $280 | $1,153 | 11 | 85 | -59.5% |
| Ohio | $267 | $674 | 48 | 414 | -61.2% |
| Kansas | $264 | $764 | 17 | 153 | -61.7% |
| New Hampshire | $230 | $1,524 | 19 | 164 | -66.6% |
| Arkansas | $222 | $544 | 16 | 85 | -67.8% |
| Minnesota | $136 | $428 | 67 | 812 | -80.3% |
| Michigan | $118 | $933 | 52 | 246 | -82.9% |
| Connecticut | $98 | $410 | 19 | 70 | -85.9% |
| Indiana | $85 | $512 | 28 | 104 | -87.7% |
| District of Columbia | $74 | $1,030 | 5 | 27 | -89.3% |
| Rhode Island | $70 | $307 | 5 | 60 | -89.8% |
| Montana | $69 | $223 | 1 | 13 | -90.0% |
| North Dakota | $68 | $215 | 4 | 18 | -90.1% |
| Kentucky | $68 | $242 | 10 | 23 | -90.2% |
| Vermont | $67 | $353 | 4 | 24 | -90.2% |
| Missouri | $67 | $285 | 31 | 114 | -90.2% |
| West Virginia | $67 | $253 | 8 | 25 | -90.3% |
| Utah | $67 | $316 | 11 | 23 | -90.3% |
| South Carolina | $67 | $392 | 10 | 38 | -90.4% |
| Iowa | $66 | $252 | 13 | 74 | -90.4% |
| Oklahoma | $65 | $277 | 14 | 43 | -90.5% |
| Nebraska | $65 | $311 | 9 | 78 | -90.5% |
⚠️ Important: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees may be billed separately. Total out-of-pocket costs may be higher.
💊 Need post-procedure medications? Check costs on OpenPrescriber