AST liver test cost in Columbia, SC
In Columbia, SC, 3 hospitals list a cash price for AST (aspartate aminotransferase) enzyme test: from $63.00 to $76.00, with a median of $76.00. The lowest listed price is at Kershaw Medical Center — $13.00 less than the median here. Across South Carolina, the median is $42.50 at 19 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 84450, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 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 Columbia, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kershaw Medical Center lowest Camden, SC HB AST (SGOT) | $63.00 | $126.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast Columbia, SC HB AST (SGOT) | $76.00 | $152.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown Columbia, SC HB AST (SGOT) | $76.00 | $152.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $63.00, median $76.00, highest $76.00 — a 1.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $76.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
What it is
AST is an enzyme found in the liver, muscles and heart. It is measured together with ALT to look for liver injury, and the ratio between them gives clues to the cause.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.