US Health Care Costs

Urine culture in California

CPT 87086 · hospital facility charge

Cash prices range from $40 to $656 at the 10 California hospitals whose price files we have read so far.

Estimate what you would pay

$195typical cash price
$13typical commercial insurer rate
$40–$656cash price range, 9 hospitals
Cash price by hospital, lowest first
Mercy Medical Center Redding
$40
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
$67
University of California Davis Medical Center
$78
El Camino Health
$150
Sharp Memorial Hospital
$195
Stanford Health Care
$380
Uci Health-Lakewood
$488
Uci Health-Orange
$488
Good Samaritan Hospital
$656

California typical cash price: $195

California hospitals compared

HospitalCityList priceCash priceInsurers (median)
Mercy Medical Center ReddingRedding$80$40$48$10–$185 · 15 plans
Hoag Memorial Hospital PresbyterianNewport Beach$103$67$25$10–$45 · 4 plans
University of California Davis Medical CenterSacramento$195$78$12$8–$12 · 23 plans
El Camino HealthMountain View$599$150–
Sharp Memorial HospitalSan Diego$260$195$166$48–$194 · 12 plans
Stanford Health CareStanford$949$380–
Uci Health-LakewoodLakewood$1,219$488$13$12–$18 · 5 plans
Uci Health-OrangeOrange$1,219$488$13$12–$18 · 5 plans
Good Samaritan HospitalSan Jose$656$656$10$8–$524 · 66 plans
Ronald Reagan Ucla Medical CenterLos Angeles––$13$8–$20 · 8 plans
Only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor (radiologist, surgeon, anesthesiologist) usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does urine culture cost at a hospital in California?

At 9 California hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for urine culture is $195, and most charge between $62 and $521. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $13. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for urine culture?

At 1 of the 7 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 urine culture?

Of the hospitals whose price files we have read, the lowest published cash price is $40 at Mercy Medical Center Redding. 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.

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