Lisa, I can only guess that costs must vary from east to west
I had to sign for my last MUGA in case my insurance balked at paying, and I was told it costs $1,000; I know the Echo I had a couple of years ago was billed at just half that...
My understanding of the two tests is that they both measure heart function but in different ways; the Echo can actually "see" the structure of the heart and how it's working, and the MUGA "sees" the blood flow and therefore how effeciently it's being pumped.