Lactic acid test cost in Duluth, MN — inpatient
In Duluth, MN-WI, 11 hospitals list a cash price for lactate (lactic acid) blood test as an inpatient: from $34.38 to $99.76, with a median of $89.10. The lowest listed price is at Range Regional Health Services — $54.72 less than the median here. Across Minnesota, the median is $80.60 at 80 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 8 cities for code 83605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 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 Duluth, MN-WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC LACTATE File of Jan 29, 2026 · source file | $34.38 | $80.89 | $36.80–$80.49 | 57% |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 Fac Assay of Lactic Acid File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $78.34 | $144.00 | — | 46% |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 LACTIC ACID source file | $80.19 | $121.50 | — | 34% |
| Essentia Health Virginia Virginia, MN · (218) 741-3340 ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $84.78 | $135.00 | $57.90–$121.64 | 37% |
| Community Memorial Hospital Cloquet, MN · (218) 879-4641 LACTIC ACID source file | $85.76 | $134.00 | $134.00 | 36% |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical Center Duluth, MN · (218) 786-3574 ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $89.10 | $135.00 | $57.90–$116.10 | 34% |
| Essentia Health Duluth Duluth, MN · (218) 786-2652 ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $89.10 | $135.00 | $55.84–$116.10 | 34% |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Children's Hospital Duluth, MN ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $89.10 | $135.00 | $57.90–$116.10 | 34% |
| Essentia Health Moose Lake Moose Lake, MN · (218) 786-1367 ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $99.76 | $135.00 | $54.27–$122.18 | 26% |
| Essentia Health St Marys Hospital-Superior Superior, WI · (715) 817-7000 ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $99.76 | $135.00 | $54.27–$122.18 | 26% |
| Essentia Health Northern Pines Aurora, MN · (218) 229-4222 ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $99.76 | $135.00 | $54.27–$135.00 | 26% |
Inpatient: lowest $34.38, median $89.10, highest $99.76 — a 2.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $89.10 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 9 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 2 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
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.