Urine dipstick, automated cost in Austin, TX
In Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, 28 hospitals list a cash price for urinalysis without microscope exam, automated: from $2.48 to $431.00, with a median of $49.50. The lowest listed price is at The Hospital at Westlake Medical Center — $47.02 less than the median here. Across Texas, the median is $48.51 at 269 hospitals.
- The median here, $49.50, is 90% above the US median of $26.07.
- That is 22.0× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($2.25).
- Austin, TX has the lowest median of 4 metro areas in Texas with at least 10 hospitals pricing this code.
- 10 of 28 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Cash prices at 28 facilities across 14 cities for code 81003, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Nov 4, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 2, 2024 and Sep 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 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hospital at Westlake Medical Center lowest Austin, TX · (512) 327-0000 URINE MACROSCOPIC+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 2, 2024 · source file | $2.48 | $16.40 | $1.89–$39.73 | 85% |
| St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Leander, TX · (512) 341-1000 BLOOD URINE AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $18.00 | $18.00 | $12.13 | — |
| Ascension Seton Smithville Smithville, TX · (512) 237-3214 UA-CHEM ONLY+1 more line at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $19.17 | $53.25 | $1.89–$23.96 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Edgar B Davis Luling, TX · (830) 875-7000 GTT,EA ADDL URINE+1 more line at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $24.12 | $67.00 | $1.89–$30.15 | 64% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Lakeway Lakeway, TX · (512) 509-0401 HC URINALYSIS AUTO W/O SCOPE+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $35.98 | $59.97 | $1.89–$53.97 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Emergency Medical Center - Cedar Park Cedar Park, TX · (512) 509-0401 HC URINALYSIS, WITHOUT MICROSCOPY+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 3, 2026 · source file | $35.98 | $59.97 | $2.36–$38.98 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Pflugerville Pflugerville, TX · (512) 654-6100 HC URINALYSIS AUTO W/O SCOPE+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $35.98 | $59.97 | $1.89–$53.97 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Austin Austin, TX · (512) 654-2100 HC URINALYSIS AUTO W/O SCOPE+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $35.98 | $59.97 | $1.89–$44.98 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Taylor Taylor, TX · (512) 352-7611 HC URNLS DIP STICK/TABLET RGNT AUTO W/O MICROSCOPY, URINALYSIS+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 12, 2026 · source file | $35.98 | $59.97 | $3.30–$47.98 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Buda Buda, TX · (737) 999-6200 HC URINALYSIS AUTO W/O SCOPE+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $35.98 | $59.97 | $1.89–$44.98 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Round Rock Round Rock, TX · (512) 509-0401 HC URINALYSIS AUTO W/O SCOPE+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $35.98 | $59.97 | $1.89–$53.97 | 40% |
| Ascension Seton Austin, TX UA-CHEM ONLY+1 more line at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $37.28 | $53.25 | $1.89–$23.96 | 30% |
| Ascension Cedar Park Cedar Park, TX · (512) 528-7000 UA, AUTO, W-O SCOPE+1 more line at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $42.77 | $118.81 | $1.89–$53.46 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Hays Kyle, TX · (512) 324-5000 SPEC GRAV UR+31 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $48.51 | $134.75 | $1.89–$60.64 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Northwest Austin, TX · (512) 324-6000 UA-CHEM(EMP)+9 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $50.49 | $140.25 | $1.89–$63.11 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Smithville Smithville, TX · (512) 237-3214 GTT4HR/GLU/U/2HR+31 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $50.49 | $140.25 | $1.89–$63.11 | 64% |
| Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Tx Austin, TX · (512) 324-7000 SPEC GRAV UR+31 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $50.49 | $140.25 | $1.89–$63.11 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin Austin, TX · (512) 324-1000 UA-CHEM ONLY+9 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $50.49 | $140.25 | $1.89–$63.11 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Southwest Austin, TX · (512) 324-9000 UA-CHEM ONLY+9 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $50.49 | $140.25 | $1.89–$63.11 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Hays Kyle, TX · (512) 324-5000 UA-CHEM ONLY+1 more line at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $50.49 | $140.25 | $1.89–$63.11 | 64% |
| Ascension Seton Edgar B Davis Luling, TX · (830) 875-7000 GTT5HR/GLU/U/5HR+29 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $76.14 | $211.50 | $1.89–$95.17 | 64% |
| Texas Children's Hospital - Austin Austin, TX · (832) 824-1100 TC URINE DIP STIK/TABLET,W/O MICRO AUTO+1 more line at this price File of Mar 5, 2026 · source file | $83.75 | $125.00 | $2.25–$118.75 | 33% |
| Baylor Scott & White Emergency Medical Center - Cedar Park Cedar Park, TX · (512) 509-0401 HC REF MAYO SKETC KETONE QL, U File of Jun 3, 2026 · source file | $96.30 | $160.50 | $2.36–$104.33 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Lakeway Lakeway, TX · (512) 509-0401 HC REF MAYO SKETC KETONE QL, U File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $96.30 | $160.50 | $1.89–$144.45 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Buda Buda, TX · (737) 999-6200 HC REF MAYO SKETC KETONE QL, U File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $96.30 | $160.50 | $1.89–$120.38 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Taylor Taylor, TX · (512) 352-7611 HC REF MAYO SKETC KETONE QL, U File of Jun 12, 2026 · source file | $96.30 | $160.50 | $3.30–$128.40 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Round Rock Round Rock, TX · (512) 509-0401 HC REF MAYO SKETC KETONE QL, U File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $96.30 | $160.50 | $1.89–$144.45 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Austin Austin, TX · (512) 654-2100 HC REF MAYO SKETC KETONE QL, U File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $96.30 | $160.50 | $1.89–$120.38 | 40% |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Pflugerville Pflugerville, TX · (512) 654-6100 HC REF MAYO SKETC KETONE QL, U File of Jun 13, 2026 · source file | $96.30 | $160.50 | $1.89–$144.45 | 40% |
| Ascension Seton Austin, TX GTT5HR/GLU/U/4HR+31 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $98.18 | $140.25 | $1.89–$63.11 | 30% |
| Pam Specialty Hospital of Luling Luling, TX Urinalysis Auto W/O Scope UA File of Aug 6, 2026 · source file | $98.75 | $98.75 | $1.69–$88.88 | — |
| St. David's Georgetown Hospital Georgetown, TX · (512) 476-7111 UA W O MICRO AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $173.00 | $173.00 | $8.65–$147.05 | — |
| St. David's South Austin Medical Center Bastrop, TX · (512) 448-7107 BLOOD URINE AUTO+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $226.00 | $226.00 | $110.74–$152.32 | — |
| St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Leander, TX · (512) 341-1000 SPEC GRAV UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $237.00 | $237.00 | $11.85–$213.30 | — |
| St. David's South Austin Medical Center Bastrop, TX · (512) 448-7107 PROTEIN UR QUAL AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $248.00 | $248.00 | $156.24 | — |
| St. David's Georgetown Hospital Georgetown, TX · (512) 476-7111 PH UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $253.00 | $253.00 | $170.52 | — |
| St. David's Medical Center Manor, TX · (512) 476-7111 PH UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $253.00 | $253.00 | $170.52 | — |
| Heart Hosp of Austin at St. David's Round Rock Round Rock, TX PH UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $253.00 | $253.00 | $170.52 | — |
| Heart Hosp of Austin Austin, TX PH UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $253.00 | $253.00 | $170.52 | — |
| St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Leander, TX · (512) 341-1000 UA W O MICRO AUTO+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $261.00 | $261.00 | $13.05–$234.90 | — |
| St. David's North Austin Medical Center Austin, TX · (512) 901-1000 KETONES UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $273.00 | $273.00 | $13.65–$245.70 | — |
| St. David's South Austin Medical Center Bastrop, TX · (512) 448-7107 UA W O MICRO AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $276.00 | $276.00 | $186.02 | — |
| St.davids Surgical Hospital Austin, TX SPEC GRAV UR AUTO+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $296.00 | $296.00 | $14.80–$251.60 | — |
| St. David's North Austin Medical Center Austin, TX · (512) 901-1000 SPEC GRAV UR AUTO+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $296.00 | $296.00 | $14.80–$266.40 | — |
| St.davids Surgical Hospital Austin, TX KETONES UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $356.00 | $356.00 | $245.64 | — |
| Heart Hosp of Austin at St. David's Round Rock Round Rock, TX UA W O MICRO AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $421.00 | $421.00 | $21.05–$357.85 | — |
| St. David's Medical Center Manor, TX · (512) 476-7111 UA W O MICRO AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $421.00 | $421.00 | $283.75 | — |
| Heart Hosp of Austin Austin, TX UA W O MICRO AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $421.00 | $421.00 | $21.05–$357.85 | — |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Round Rock Round Rock, TX URINALYSIS AUTO W/O MICRO File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $431.00 | $431.00 | — | — |
| St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Leander, TX · (512) 341-1000 BILIRUBIN UR AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $551.00 | $551.00 | $27.55–$495.90 | — |
| St.davids Surgical Hospital Austin, TX UA W O MICRO AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $856.00 | $856.00 | $42.80–$727.60 | — |
| St. David's North Austin Medical Center Austin, TX · (512) 901-1000 UA W O MICRO AUTO File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $856.00 | $856.00 | $590.64 | — |
Outpatient: lowest $2.48, median $49.50, highest $431.00 — a 173.8× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 19 facilities here, median $37.28. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 17 of 27 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. 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 urine dipstick, automated is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Urine dipstick, automated explained.