AST liver test cost in Dubuque, IA — inpatient
In Dubuque, IA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for AST (aspartate aminotransferase) enzyme test as an inpatient: from $13.60 to $59.15, with a median of $40.30. The lowest listed price is at The Finley Hospital — $26.70 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $35.75 at 37 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 84450, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Dubuque, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Finley Hospital lowest Dubuque, IA · (563) 582-1881 TRANSFERASE ASPARTATE AMINO (AST) (SGOT) | $13.60 | $17.00 | $3.11–$15.64 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| The Finley Hospital Dubuque, IA · (563) 582-1881 HC AST OR SGOT | $33.57 | $41.96 | $22.15–$33.57 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Dubuque Dubuque, IA · (563) 589-8000 HC Ast/Sgot | $40.30 | $62.00 | $5.02–$62.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Dyersville Dyersville, IA · (563) 875-2900 HC Ast/Sgot | $59.15 | $91.00 | $34.40–$102.43 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $13.60, median $40.30, highest $59.15 — a 4.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $40.30 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 3 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
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.