Rapid drug screen cost in Houston, TX — inpatient
In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 10 hospitals list a cash price for rapid drug screen read by eye (cup, dipstick or card), per day as an inpatient: from $160.13 to $455.00, with a median of $455.00. The lowest listed price is at Texas Children's Hospital — $294.87 less than the median here. Across Texas, the median is $118.80 at 69 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 7 cities for code 80305, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 5, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Children's Hospital lowest Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC DRUG OF ABUSE - SCREEN IN HOUSE | $160.13 | $239.00 | $95.60–$227.05 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital lowest Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC DRUG OF ABUSE - SCREEN IN HOUSE | $160.13 | $239.00 | $95.60–$227.05 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital lowest Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC DRUG OF ABUSE - SCREEN IN HOUSE | $160.13 | $239.00 | $95.60–$227.05 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX · (713) 790-2221 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $233.00 | $466.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX · (936) 270-2000 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 522-1000 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX · (281) 477-1000 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX · (281) 333-5503 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX · (281) 420-8600 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX · (346) 618-1506 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX · (281) 274-8000 HC DRUGS OF ABUSE PANEL PLUS TCA | $455.00 | $910.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $160.13, median $455.00, highest $455.00 — a 2.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $455.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This code covers a quick drug screen, such as a urine cup, dipstick or card, where the result is read by eye. It gives presumptive results for classes of drugs and is used in clinics, emergency departments and for some employment testing.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the screen for all drug classes on the device, billed once per day. Confirmation testing of a positive result and any formal chain-of-custody collection are billed separately.