Blood draw in California
CPT 36415 · hospital facility charge
Cash prices range from $4 to $291 at the 15 California hospitals whose price files we have read so far.
California typical cash price: $31
California hospitals compared
| Hospital | City | List price | Cash price | Insurers (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino Health | Mountain View | $16 | $4 | – |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas | Encinitas | $20 | $5 | $7$3–$16 · 66 plans |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla | La Jolla | $20 | $5 | $7$3–$16 · 66 plans |
| Mercy Medical Center Redding | Redding | $34 | $17 | $23$4–$33 · 10 plans |
| Grossmont Hospital | La Mesa | $29 | $22 | $18$12–$22 · 36 plans |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital | San Diego | $29 | $22 | $19$14–$28 · 20 plans |
| Uci Health-Lakewood | Lakewood | $78 | $31 | $14$14–$21 · 5 plans |
| Uci Health-Orange | Orange | $78 | $31 | $14$14–$21 · 5 plans |
| University of California Davis Medical Center | Sacramento | $90 | $36 | $9$9–$14 · 9 plans |
| Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley | Pleasanton | $102 | $41 | $22$12–$22 · 3 plans |
| Stanford Health Care | Stanford | $112 | $45 | – |
| Southern California Hospital at Hollywood | Hollywood | $78 | $78 | $15$0–$56 · 22 plans |
| Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center | Thousand Oaks | $133 | $133 | $12$9–$108 · 50 plans |
| Good Samaritan Hospital | San Jose | $291 | $291 | $12$9–$233 · 65 plans |
| Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Newport Beach | – | – | $8$4–$20 · 4 plans |
Common questions
How much does blood draw cost at a hospital in California?
At 14 California hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for blood draw is $31, and most charge between $5 and $117. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $14. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.
Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for blood draw?
At 3 of the 12 hospitals in California that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.
Which hospital in California has the lowest cash price for blood draw?
Of the hospitals whose price files we have read, the lowest published cash price is $4 at El Camino Health. Confirm the price with the hospital before you book.
Does the price include the doctor?
No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.
Before you go
- Ask for an estimate. Hospitals must give uninsured and self-pay patients a written good-faith estimate before planned care.
- Check the network. Confirm that the hospital and the doctors are in your plan's network.
- Ask about financial help. Non-profit hospitals must have a financial assistance policy; many discount or forgive bills by income.
- Get an itemized bill. Compare it with the estimate and question anything you don't recognise.