AST liver test cost in Santa Cruz, CA — inpatient
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for AST (aspartate aminotransferase) enzyme test as an inpatient: from $791.34 to $791.34, with a median of $791.34. Across California, the median is $45.36 at 103 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 84450, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 15, 2026 and Sep 15, 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville Community Hospital lowest Watsonville, CA · (831) 724-4741 TRANSFERASE AST | $791.34 | $1,318.90 | $5.18–$1,318.90 | 40% | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| Watsonville Community Hospital lowest Watsonville, CA · (831) 724-4741 TRANSFERASE (AST) (SGOT) | $791.34 | $1,318.90 | $5.18–$1,318.90 | 40% | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $791.34, median $791.34, highest $791.34.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $791.34 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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.