Lactic acid test cost in Charleston, SC — inpatient
In Charleston-North Charleston, SC, 5 hospitals list a cash price for lactate (lactic acid) blood test as an inpatient: from $36.50 to $80.60, with a median of $80.60. The lowest listed price is at MUSC Medical Center — $44.10 less than the median here. Across South Carolina, the median is $88.00 at 37 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 3 cities for code 83605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 28, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSC Medical Center lowest Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB LACTIC ACID ARTERIAL I STAT+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $36.50 | $73.00 | — | 50% |
| MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB D-LACTATE P DLAC (SEND OUT) File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $72.00 | $144.00 | — | 50% |
| Roper St Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital Mount Pleasant, SC · (843) 724-2954 HC So Lactic Acid source file | $80.60 | $124.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 724-2800 HC So Lactic Acid source file | $80.60 | $124.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper St Francis Hospital Berkeley Summerville, SC · (854) 529-3002 HC So Lactic Acid source file | $80.60 | $124.00 | — | 35% |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC So Lactic Acid source file | $80.60 | $124.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 724-2800 HC Assay of Lactate source file | $150.15 | $231.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper St Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital Mount Pleasant, SC · (843) 724-2954 HC Assay of Lactate source file | $150.15 | $231.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper St Francis Hospital Berkeley Summerville, SC · (854) 529-3002 HC Assay of Lactate source file | $150.15 | $231.00 | — | 35% |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC Assay of Lactate source file | $150.15 | $231.00 | — | 35% |
| MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB LACTIC ACID File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $155.00 | $310.00 | — | 50% |
Inpatient: lowest $36.50, median $80.60, highest $80.60 — a 2.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $80.60 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
What it is
A lactic acid test measures lactate in the blood. It is used mainly in the emergency department and hospital to look for sepsis, shock or poor blood flow to tissues.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.