TIBC test cost in San Diego, CA — inpatient
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 10 hospitals list a cash price for iron-binding capacity (TIBC) test as an inpatient: from $45.76 to $106.81, with a median of $69.75. The lowest listed price is at Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa and 2 other hospitals — $23.99 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $69.75 at 98 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 6 cities for code 83550, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and May 29, 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa lowest San Diego, CA IRON BINDING CAPACITY | $45.76 | $88.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion lowest San Diego, CA IRON BINDING CAPACITY | $45.76 | $88.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos lowest San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 IRON BINDING CAPACITY | $45.76 | $88.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrlj-Iron Binding Capacity | $67.50 | $90.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Tibc | $67.50 | $90.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Iron Binding Cap 301 | $67.50 | $90.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Iron Binding Cap | $67.50 | $90.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC IRON BINDING TEST - IRON + TRANSFERRIN + TIBC | $69.75 | $93.00 | $13.02–$83.70 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC IRON BINDING TEST - IRON + TRANSFERRIN + TIBC | $69.75 | $93.00 | $37.20–$725.00 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC IRON BINDING TEST - IRON + TRANSFERRIN + TIBC | $69.75 | $93.00 | $13.95–$74.40 | 25% | — source file |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC IRON BINDING TEST - IRON + TRANSFERRIN + TIBC | $69.75 | $93.00 | $5.88–$91.14 | 25% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Iron Binding Capacity | $94.60 | $172.00 | $8.74–$232.20 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Lab-Total Iron Binding Cap | $103.50 | $138.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Liv-Total Iron Binding Cap | $103.50 | $138.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Iron Panel | $106.81 | $178.02 | $124.61–$138.68 | 40% | May 29, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Lab-Usaturated Iron Binding Cap | $111.00 | $148.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $45.76, median $69.75, highest $106.81 — a 2.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $69.75 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 6 of 9 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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
The total iron-binding capacity test measures how much iron the blood can carry. It is ordered with serum iron (83540) to check for iron deficiency or overload.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.