Lactic acid test cost in Pittsburgh, PA — inpatient
In Pittsburgh, PA, 17 hospitals list a cash price for lactate (lactic acid) blood test as an inpatient: from $33.93 to $505.80, with a median of $88.20. The lowest listed price is at UPMC Washington — $54.27 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $76.80 at 92 hospitals.
Cash prices at 17 facilities across 11 cities for code 83605, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Oct 2, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 2, 2026 and Aug 6, 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 Pittsburgh, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPMC Washington lowest Washington, PA · (724) 225-7000 LACTATE source file | $33.93 | $56.55 | $39.59 | 40% |
| UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA · (724) 656-4100 LACTIC ACID PNL source file | $36.60 | $61.00 | $45.75–$53.68 | 40% |
| Monogahela Valley Hospital Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS LACTATE+1 more line at this price source file | $37.80 | $63.00 | $28.35 | 40% |
| Armstrong County Memorial Hospital Kittanning, PA D-LACTATE+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 2, 2026 · source file | $48.90 | $163.00 | $146.70 | 70% |
| PAM Health Specialty Hospital of Pittsburgh Oakdale, PA Lactic Acid File of Aug 6, 2026 · source file | $65.00 | $65.00 | $18.85–$55.25 | — |
| Allegheny Valley Hospital Natrona Heights, PA · (412) 224-5100 HC LACTIC ACID (LACT) File of Apr 14, 2026 · source file | $72.38 | $94.00 | $7.63–$13.91 | 23% |
| West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 578-5000 HC LACTIC ACID (LACT) File of Apr 14, 2026 · source file | $75.92 | $104.00 | $7.63–$12.59 | 27% |
| Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 LACTIC ACID+1 more line at this price source file | $81.60 | $136.00 | — | 40% |
| Monogahela Valley Hospital Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 LACTIC ACID source file | $81.60 | $136.00 | $61.20 | 40% |
| UPMC St Margaret Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 784-4000 LACTIC ACID+3 more lines at this price source file | $88.20 | $147.00 | $38.37–$124.95 | 40% |
| UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 641-4010 HC LACTIA/LACTIV source file | $98.40 | $164.00 | $59.04–$150.88 | 40% |
| UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 641-4010 HC ISTAT LACTATE+1 more line at this price source file | $104.40 | $174.00 | $62.64–$160.08 | 40% |
| Heritage Valley Beaver Beaver, PA · (412) 728-7000 Lactic Acid File of Aug 6, 2026 · source file | $112.00 | $112.00 | $28.00–$95.20 | — |
| UPMC McKeesport McKeesport, PA · (412) 664-2000 LACTIC ACID PNL+2 more lines at this price source file | $115.80 | $193.00 | $66.97–$164.05 | 40% |
| UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 232-8111 D-LACTATE+2 more lines at this price source file | $129.60 | $216.00 | $66.10–$194.40 | 40% |
| UPMC Passavant - McCandless Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 367-6700 HC ISTAT LACTATE+2 more lines at this price source file | $159.00 | $265.00 | $95.40–$246.45 | 40% |
| UPMC East Monroeville, PA · (412) 357-3000 LACTIC ACID PNL+3 more lines at this price source file | $225.00 | $375.00 | $127.50–$300.00 | 40% |
| UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 692-5325 LACTATE ISTAT+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $250.80 | $418.00 | $167.20–$376.20 | 40% |
| UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 647-2345 ISTAT LACTATE+6 more lines at this price File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $505.80 | $843.00 | $547.95–$716.55 | 40% |
Inpatient: lowest $33.93, median $88.20, highest $505.80 — a 14.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 16 facilities here, median $84.90 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 11 of 16 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 4 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.