Lactic acid test cost in Des Moines, IA — inpatient
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 6 hospitals list a cash price for lactate (lactic acid) blood test as an inpatient: from $55.00 to $142.00, with a median of $82.45. The lowest listed price is at Broadlawns Medical Center — $27.45 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $74.55 at 80 hospitals.
Cash prices at 6 facilities across 4 cities for code 83605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadlawns Medical Center lowest Des Moines, IA · (515) 282-2200 Assay Of Lactic Acid File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $55.00 | $55.00 | — | — |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 HC LACTATE+1 more line at this price File of Jan 28, 2026 · source file | $64.28 | $80.35 | $34.79 | 20% |
| MercyOne Newton Medical Center Newton, IA · (641) 792-1273 HC Lactic Acid Venous Whole Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $81.90 | $126.00 | $11.21–$126.00 | 35% |
| Dallas County Hospital Perry, IA · (515) 465-3547 LACTIC ACID EPOC+1 more line at this price File of May 29, 2026 · source file | $83.00 | $128.00 | $11.34–$108.80 | 35% |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA · (515) 247-4436 HC POCT Lactic Acid+6 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $92.30 | $142.00 | $11.21–$142.00 | 35% |
| MercyOne Newton Medical Center Newton, IA · (641) 792-1273 HC Warde Lactic Acid File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $99.45 | $153.00 | $11.21–$153.00 | 35% |
| MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center West Des Moines, IA HC Lactic Acid+6 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $142.00 | $142.00 | $11.21–$142.00 | — |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA · (515) 247-4436 HC Warde Lactic Acid File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $206.70 | $318.00 | $11.21–$318.00 | 35% |
Inpatient: lowest $55.00, median $82.45, highest $142.00 — a 2.6× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $83.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 5 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 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.