AST liver test cost in Houston, TX — inpatient
In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 12 hospitals list a cash price for AST (aspartate aminotransferase) enzyme test as an inpatient: from $5.18 to $51.59, with a median of $8.00. The lowest listed price is at Harris Health and 1 other hospital — $2.82 less than the median here. Across Texas, the median is $45.00 at 100 hospitals.
Cash prices at 12 facilities across 8 cities for code 84450, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 5, 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Health lowest Houston, TX AST (SGOT) (34310840) | $5.18 | $51.00 | $4.35–$33.15 | 90% | — source file |
| Harris Health lowest Taub Loop Houston, TX · (713) 873-2000 AST (SGOT) (34310840) | $5.18 | $51.00 | $4.35–$33.15 | 90% | — source file |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX · (281) 333-5503 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX · (281) 333-5503 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX · (713) 790-2221 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX · (713) 790-2221 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX · (713) 790-2221 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX · (281) 420-8600 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX · (281) 333-5503 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX · (281) 274-8000 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX · (281) 274-8000 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX · (281) 274-8000 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX · (936) 270-2000 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX · (936) 270-2000 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX · (936) 270-2000 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 522-1000 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 522-1000 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 522-1000 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX · (281) 477-1000 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX · (281) 477-1000 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX · (281) 477-1000 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX · (281) 420-8600 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX · (281) 420-8600 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX · (346) 618-1506 HC FIBROMETER CHRONIC HEPATITIS AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX · (346) 618-1506 HC FIBROMETER NAFLD AST | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX · (346) 618-1506 HC AST SGOT SO | $8.00 | $16.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC SGOT (AST)WHOLE BLOOD | $51.59 | $77.00 | $30.80–$73.15 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC SGOT (AST)WHOLE BLOOD | $51.59 | $77.00 | $30.80–$73.15 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC SGOT (AST)WHOLE BLOOD | $51.59 | $77.00 | $30.80–$73.15 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC SGOT (AST) | $78.39 | $117.00 | $46.80–$111.15 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC SGOT (AST) | $78.39 | $117.00 | $46.80–$111.15 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| Texas Children's Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 824-1000 TC SGOT (AST) | $78.39 | $117.00 | $46.80–$111.15 | 33% | Mar 5, 2026 source file |
| The Methodist Hospital Houston, TX · (713) 790-2221 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $121.50 | $243.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital The Woodlands, TX · (936) 270-2000 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital Baytown, TX · (281) 420-8600 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Houston, TX · (281) 477-1000 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital Nassau Bay, TX · (281) 333-5503 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Sugar Land, TX · (281) 274-8000 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Methodist West Houston Hospital Houston, TX · (832) 522-1000 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital Cypress, TX · (346) 618-1506 HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital Katy, TX HC TRANSAMINASE SGOT/AST | $244.00 | $488.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $5.18, median $8.00, highest $51.59 — a 10.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 14 facilities here, median $8.00 — 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.