Lab tests CPT 82550 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

CK (creatine kinase) test cost in Washington, DC — inpatient

In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 9 hospitals list a cash price for creatine kinase (CK) blood test, total as an inpatient: from $24.50 to $152.68, with a median of $85.50. The lowest listed price is at Children's National Hospital — $61.00 less than the median here. Across District of Columbia, the median is $74.14 at 3 hospitals.

Cash prices at 9 facilities across 7 cities for code 82550, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.

Lowest$24.50Children's National Hospital
Median$85.50half of hospitals charge less
Highest$152.68in this market
Difference6.2×highest vs lowest

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.

median
Lowest $24.50Highest $152.68

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash priceList priceInsurers payOff list
Children's National Hospital lowest Washington, DC · (202) 476-5000 CK Isoenzymes with Total CK source file $24.50 $49.00 $20.58–$26.80 50%
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgl Creatine Kinase: Total (Lc)+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $69.00 $138.00 — 50%
MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington, DC · (202) 877-7000 CPK+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $74.14 $114.06 $33.08–$96.95 35%
Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC CREATINE KINASE TOTAL source file $85.50 $171.00 $6.47–$133.38 50%
Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC CREATINE KINASE TOTAL source file $85.50 $171.00 $6.47–$133.38 50%
Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC CREATINE KINASE TOTAL source file $85.50 $171.00 $6.47–$133.38 50%
Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC CREATINE KINASE TOTAL source file $85.50 $171.00 $6.47–$133.38 50%
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC CREATINE KINASE TOTAL source file $85.50 $171.00 $6.47–$133.38 50%
Children's National Hospital Washington, DC · (202) 476-5000 UMC CK ISOENZYMES CK TOTAL source file $94.50 $189.00 $79.38–$103.38 50%
Children's National Hospital Washington, DC · (202) 476-5000 Creatine Kinase source file $99.50 $199.00 $83.58–$108.85 50%
MedStar Georgetown Hospital Northwest Washington, DC · (202) 784-3000 CREATINE KINASE CK CPK TOTAL+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $152.68 $234.89 $82.21–$211.40 35%
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
Insurers pay The lowest and highest rates this hospital has agreed with insurance plans for the same item, from its price file. If the cash price is below what your plan pays and you have not met your deductible, paying cash can cost you less. More
Off list How much lower the cash price is than the list price.

Inpatient: lowest $24.50, median $85.50, highest $152.68 — a 6.2× difference within the same market.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 16 facilities here, median $85.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

Cash or insurance?

At 8 of 8 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 creatine kinase (CK) test measures an enzyme released when muscle is damaged. It is used for muscle pain or weakness, after crush injuries or extreme exercise, and in people on statins with muscle symptoms.

What the price covers

The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.