Iron test cost in Des Moines, IA — inpatient
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for iron blood test (serum iron) as an inpatient: from $16.80 to $91.00, with a median of $56.23. The lowest listed price is at Central Iowa Hospital Corporation — $39.43 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $31.20 at 37 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 3 cities for code 83540, 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation lowest Des Moines, IA ASSAY OF IRON | $16.80 | $21.00 | $3.88–$12.74 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation lowest Des Moines, IA ASSAY OF IRON | $16.80 | $21.00 | $3.88–$12.74 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation Des Moines, IA HC IRON | $33.57 | $41.96 | $18.17 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation Des Moines, IA HC IRON | $33.57 | $41.96 | $18.17 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton, IA HC Mayo Iron Liver Tissue | $53.30 | $82.00 | $6.27–$82.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton, IA HC Iron | $53.30 | $82.00 | $6.27–$82.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp Des Moines, IA HC Iron | $59.15 | $91.00 | $6.27–$91.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp West Des Moines, IA HC Mayo Iron Liver Tissue | $91.00 | $91.00 | $6.27–$91.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp West Des Moines, IA HC Iron | $91.00 | $91.00 | $6.27–$91.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp Des Moines, IA HC Mayo Iron Liver Tissue | $172.90 | $266.00 | $6.27–$266.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $16.80, median $56.23, highest $91.00 — a 5.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $56.23 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 4 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 serum iron test measures the iron carried in the blood. It is usually ordered with iron-binding capacity and ferritin to check for iron deficiency or iron overload.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.