NIPT prenatal DNA test cost in Waterloo, IA — inpatient
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for prenatal cell-free DNA screen for trisomy 21, 18 and 13 (NIPT) as an inpatient: from $728.69 to $1,592.50, with a median of $1,160.60. The lowest listed price is at Allen Hospital — $431.91 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $728.69 at 20 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 81420, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Hospital lowest Waterloo, IA · (319) 235-3941 HC FETAL CHROMOSOMAL ANEUPLOIDY | $728.69 | $910.86 | $589.33 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo, IA · (319) 235-3941 CHG FETAL CHROMOSOMAL ANEUPLOIDY GENOMIC SEQ ANALYS | $1,518.40 | $1,898.00 | $455.43–$1,086.84 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Covenant Medical Center Waterloo, IA HC Mayo Analysis Genomic Sequence Fetal Chromosomal Aneuploidy | $1,592.50 | $2,450.00 | $575.75–$2,450.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $728.69, median $1,160.60, highest $1,592.50 — a 2.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $1,160.60 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 1 of 2 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 it is
NIPT analyzes fragments of fetal DNA that circulate in the mother's blood to screen for Down syndrome (trisomy 21) and trisomies 18 and 13. It can be done from about 10 weeks of pregnancy. It is a screening test, so a positive result needs a diagnostic test to confirm.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the DNA analysis of one blood sample. The blood draw, genetic counseling and any added screens, such as sex chromosomes or microdeletions, may be billed separately.