Lactic acid test cost in Philadelphia, PA — inpatient
In Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, 17 hospitals list a cash price for lactate (lactic acid) blood test as an inpatient: from $17.58 to $433.80, with a median of $76.80. The lowest listed price is at Union Hospital of Cecil County — $59.22 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $76.80 at 92 hospitals.
Cash prices at 17 facilities across 16 cities for code 83605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 26, 2026 and Sep 21, 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Hospital of Cecil County lowest Elkton, MD · (410) 392-7009 LASF1 LACTIC ACID, SPINAL FLUID File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $17.58 | $17.58 | — | — |
| Inspira Medical Center Elmer Elmer, NJ · (856) 363-1000 LACTATE RESP+1 more line at this price File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $36.18 | $36.18 | — | — |
| Inspira Medical Center Mannington Salem, NJ LACTATE RESP+1 more line at this price File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $36.18 | $36.18 | — | — |
| Inspira Health Center Woodbury Woodbury, NJ LACTATE RESP+1 more line at this price File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $36.18 | $36.18 | — | — |
| Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill Mullica Hill, NJ · (856) 363-1000 LACTATE RESP+1 more line at this price File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $36.18 | $36.18 | — | — |
| Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center Meadowbrook, PA · (215) 947-3000 Lactic Acid File of Sep 21, 2026 · source file | $41.07 | $68.45 | — | 40% |
| Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center Meadowbrook, PA · (215) 947-3000 Lactic Acid, CSF File of Sep 21, 2026 · source file | $46.21 | $77.01 | — | 40% |
| Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE · (302) 651-4000 Lactate/Pyruvate Ratio Component 1 Quest+1 more line at this price File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $57.00 | $57.00 | — | — |
| St Mary Medical Center Langhorne, PA · (215) 750-2003 HC POCT Lactic Acid Venous+1 more line at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $63.70 | $98.00 | $9.20–$144.69 | 35% |
| Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE · (302) 651-4000 Lactic Acid Whole Blood+1 more line at this price File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $67.00 | $67.00 | — | — |
| Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE · (302) 651-4000 Lactic Acid CSF Mayo+1 more line at this price File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $76.00 | $76.00 | — | — |
| Lankenau Medical Center Wynnewood, PA · (610) 645-2000 Hc Lactate File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $76.80 | $192.00 | — | 60% |
| The Bryn Mawr Hospital Bryn Mawr, PA · (610) 526-3000 Hc Lactate File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $76.80 | $192.00 | — | 60% |
| Paoli Hospital Paoli, PA · (610) 648-1000 Hc Lactate File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $76.80 | $192.00 | — | 60% |
| Riddle Memorial Hospital Media, PA · (610) 566-9400 Hc Lactate File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $76.80 | $192.00 | — | 60% |
| Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital Darby, PA · (215) 237-4000 HC Lactic Acid Venous Whole Blood+3 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $102.70 | $158.00 | $10.80–$167.14 | 35% |
| St. Francis Hospital Wilmington, DE · (302) 421-4100 HC Quest Lactic Acid CSF File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $125.45 | $193.00 | $11.34–$185.28 | 35% |
| St. Francis Hospital Wilmington, DE · (302) 421-4100 HC Lactic Acid File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $131.30 | $202.00 | $11.34–$193.92 | 35% |
| Nazareth Hospital Philadelphia, PA · (215) 335-6000 HC Lactic Acid Venous Whole Blood+3 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $133.90 | $206.00 | $11.57–$473.55 | 35% |
| St. Francis Hospital Wilmington, DE · (302) 421-4100 HC POCT Lactic Acid Venous File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $138.45 | $213.00 | $11.34–$204.48 | 35% |
| Union Hospital of Cecil County Elkton, MD · (410) 392-7009 LACTATE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.73 | $174.73 | — | — |
| Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE · (302) 651-4000 Lactic Acid+1 more line at this price File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $277.00 | $277.00 | — | — |
| Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE · (302) 651-4000 D Lactate Referred+1 more line at this price File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $353.00 | $353.00 | — | — |
| Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE · (302) 651-4000 Lactate Pyruvate Mayo Comp 2 Referred+1 more line at this price File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $370.00 | $370.00 | — | — |
| St Luke's Hospital - Grand View Campus Sellersville, PA · (215) 453-4000 HB ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Feb 26, 2026 · source file | $433.80 | $482.00 | $221.72–$409.70 | 10% |
| St Luke's Hospital - Upper Bucks Campus Quakertown, PA · (267) 985-1000 HB ASSAY OF LACTIC ACID File of Feb 26, 2026 · source file | $433.80 | $482.00 | $125.08–$135.54 | 10% |
| Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE · (302) 651-4000 CSF Lactic Acids Neurochemistry Only+1 more line at this price File of Mar 10, 2026 · source file | $508.00 | $508.00 | — | — |
Inpatient: lowest $17.58, median $76.80, highest $433.80 — a 24.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 26 facilities here, median $46.90 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 4 of 6 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.