US Health Care Costs

Pap test

CPT 88142 · Lab tests · hospital facility charge

At the 121 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $73, and most charge between $22 and $223 (the middle 80%; price files contain errors, so the extremes are left out). Pick a state to compare its hospitals.

Estimate what you would pay

$73typical cash price
$37typical commercial insurer rate
$165typical list price
121hospitals in 31 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWIVTNHWA$147ID$156MTNDMN$31IL$113MI$28NY$63MA$177ORNV$404WYSDIA$65IN$32OH$90PA$51NJ$23CT$169RICA$57UT$174CONE$31MO$80KY$63WVVA$18MD$71DE$169AZNMKSARTN$62NC$137SC$90DCOK$133LAMSAL$223GA$153HITX$62FL$75PR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$223$223$223$54
Arizona1–––$51
California10$57$18$236$31
Connecticut1$169$169$169$20
Delaware1$169$169$169$57
Florida8$75$20$84$32
Georgia6$153$50$211$35
Iowa1$65$65$65$24
Idaho2$156$156$156$117
Illinois6$113$83$336$92
Indiana2$32$32$32$54
Kentucky2$63$61$65$73
Massachusetts3$177$109$177$165
Maryland1$71$71$71–
Michigan3$28$28$165$34
Minnesota1$31$31$31$41
Missouri4$80$46$146$63
North Carolina4$137$91$137$121
Nebraska1$31$31$31$40
New Jersey8$23$20$223$89
Nevada1$404$404$404$20
New York1$63$63$63$23
Ohio7$90$45$190$27
Oklahoma3$133$52$213$114
Pennsylvania9$51$23$315$34
South Carolina3$90$90$418$30
Tennessee2$62$62$62$27
Texas19$62$19$424$21
Utah2$174$160$188$180
Virginia6$18$18$348$25
Washington2$147$147$147$43
121 hospitals so far: only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed, and more are added every night. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does pap test cost at a hospital?

At 98 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for pap test is $73, and most charge between $22 and $223. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $37. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for pap test?

At 35 of the 88 hospitals 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.

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.

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