US Health Care Costs

Tissue exam by a pathologist (biopsy)

CPT 88305 · Lab tests · hospital facility charge

At the 124 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $248, and most charge between $67 and $1,595 (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

$248typical cash price
$173typical commercial insurer rate
$438typical list price
124hospitals in 32 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWIVTNHWA$235ID$237MTNDMN$35IL$394MI$72NY$203MA$376OR$343NV$1.4kWYSDIA$126IN$319OH$135PA$112NJ$78CT$382RICA$188UT$226CONE$94MO$278KY$174WVVA$219MD$107DE$475AZ$542NMKSARTN$2.1kNC$361SC$238DCOK$250LAMSAL$275GA$356HITX$1.4kFL$324PR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$275$275$275$61
Arizona1$542$542$542$88
California10$188$42$780$104
Connecticut1$382$382$382$36
Delaware1$475$475$475$242
Florida8$324$57$2,702$140
Georgia6$356$161$514$92
Iowa1$126$126$126$128
Idaho2$237$237$237$259
Illinois6$394$245$748$308
Indiana2$319$319$319$479
Kentucky2$174$133$215$152
Massachusetts3$376$376$450$350
Maryland1$107$107$107–
Michigan3$72$72$208$74
Minnesota1$35$35$35$97
Missouri4$278$124$361$224
North Carolina4$361$252$361$327
Nebraska1$94$94$94$110
New Jersey8$78$59$2,360$390
Nevada1$1,393$1,393$1,393$50
New York1$203$203$203$93
Ohio7$135$87$460$79
Oklahoma3$250$240$280$174
Oregon1$343$343$343$223
Pennsylvania8$112$59$537$75
South Carolina4$238$167$248$66
Tennessee2$2,143$2,143$2,143$852
Texas21$1,396$40$2,352$207
Utah2$226$208$244$234
Virginia6$219$219$1,378$157
Washington2$235$94$375$151
124 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 tissue exam by a pathologist (biopsy) cost at a hospital?

At 121 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for tissue exam by a pathologist (biopsy) is $248, and most charge between $67 and $1,595. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $173. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for tissue exam by a pathologist (biopsy)?

At 35 of the 114 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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