CEA test cost in Washington, DC
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 17 hospitals list a cash price for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test: from $66.13 to $685.03, with a median of $189.50. The lowest listed price is at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center — $123.37 less than the median here. Across District of Columbia, the median is $197.14 at 4 hospitals.
Cash prices at 17 facilities across 14 cities for code 82378, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MedStar Montgomery Medical Center lowest Olney, MD · (301) 774-8882 CARCINOEMBRYONIC AG,CEA | $66.13 | $67.48 | $66.13–$67.48 | 2% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Montgomery Medical Center lowest Olney, MD · (301) 774-8882 CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN (CEA) | $66.13 | $67.48 | $66.13–$67.48 | 2% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgl (Qu) Cea, Carcinoembryonic Antigen, Pancreatic Cyst Fluid, S/O | $70.00 | $140.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Southern Hospital Center Clinton, MD · (301) 868-8000 CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN (CEA) | $71.86 | $73.33 | $71.86–$73.33 | 2% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Southern Hospital Center Clinton, MD · (301) 868-8000 CARCINOEMBRYONIC AG,CEA | $71.86 | $73.33 | $71.86–$73.33 | 2% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| National Rehabilitation Hospital Washington, DC CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN CEA | $137.70 | $211.85 | $18.58–$180.07 | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| National Rehabilitation Hospital Washington, DC CARCINOEMBRYONIC AG CEA | $137.70 | $211.85 | $18.58–$180.07 | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Jefferson Medical Center Ranson, WV · (304) 728-1600 CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN | $144.00 | $288.00 | — | 50% | — source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgl Cea Fluid | $184.00 | $368.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgl Cea | $184.00 | $368.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Children's National Hospital Washington, DC · (202) 476-5000 Carcinoembryonic Antigen | $188.00 | $376.00 | $18.96–$855.74 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN | $189.50 | $379.00 | $14.35–$295.62 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN | $189.50 | $379.00 | $14.35–$295.62 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN | $189.50 | $379.00 | $14.35–$295.62 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN | $189.50 | $379.00 | $14.35–$295.62 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN | $189.50 | $379.00 | $14.35–$295.62 | 50% | — source file |
| MedStar Georgetown Hospital Northwest Washington, DC · (202) 784-3000 CARCINOEMBRYONIC AG CEA | $206.28 | $317.36 | $18.96–$285.62 | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Georgetown Hospital Northwest Washington, DC · (202) 784-3000 CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN CEA | $206.28 | $317.36 | $18.96–$285.62 | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington, DC · (202) 877-7000 CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN CEA | $234.51 | $360.78 | $18.96–$306.66 | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington, DC · (202) 877-7000 CARCINOEMBRYONIC AG CEA | $234.51 | $360.78 | $18.96–$306.66 | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Fauquier Health Warrenton, VA · (540) 316-5000 Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) | $307.20 | $768.00 | $23.86 | 60% | — source file |
| Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center Fredericksburg, VA · (540) 498-4000 CEA | $555.12 | $555.12 | $105.47–$499.61 | — | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center Fredericksburg, VA · (540) 498-4000 Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) | $555.12 | $555.12 | $18.96–$99.50 | — | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Reston Hospital Center Vienna, VA · (703) 689-9000 Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) | $678.73 | $678.73 | $18.96–$99.58 | — | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Reston Hospital Center Vienna, VA · (703) 689-9000 CEA | $678.73 | $678.73 | $481.90 | — | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Stonesprings Hospital Center Dulles, VA · (571) 349-4000 CEA | $685.03 | $685.03 | $130.16–$582.28 | — | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Stonesprings Hospital Center Dulles, VA · (571) 349-4000 Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) | $685.03 | $685.03 | $18.96–$100.70 | — | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $66.13, median $189.50, highest $685.03 — a 10.4× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 10 facilities here, median $189.50. 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 11 of 15 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
A CEA test measures a protein that can be high in colorectal and some other cancers. It is used to follow treatment and watch for recurrence, not to screen healthy people.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.