Hemoglobin test cost in Washington, DC — inpatient
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 11 hospitals list a cash price for hemoglobin blood test as an inpatient: from $12.50 to $60.19, with a median of $19.50. The lowest listed price is at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center — $7.00 less than the median here. Across District of Columbia, the median is $49.50 at 5 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 7 cities for code 85018, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center lowest Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Hgb+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $12.50 | $25.00 | — | 50% |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC BLOOD COUNT HEMOGLOBIN (HGB) source file | $19.50 | $39.00 | $2.37–$30.42 | 50% |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC BLOOD COUNT HEMOGLOBIN (HGB) source file | $19.50 | $39.00 | $2.37–$30.42 | 50% |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC BLOOD COUNT HEMOGLOBIN (HGB) source file | $19.50 | $39.00 | $2.37–$30.42 | 50% |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC BLOOD COUNT HEMOGLOBIN (HGB) source file | $19.50 | $39.00 | $2.37–$30.42 | 50% |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC BLOOD COUNT HEMOGLOBIN (HGB) source file | $19.50 | $39.00 | $2.37–$30.42 | 50% |
| MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington, DC · (202) 877-7000 HEMOGLOBIN File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.90 | $33.69 | $9.77–$28.64 | 35% |
| National Rehabilitation Hospital Washington, DC HEMOGLOBIN File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $35.00 | $53.85 | $26.39–$45.77 | 35% |
| Children's National Rehabilitation and Specialized Care Washington, DC H AND H HEMOGLOBIIN source file | $49.50 | $99.00 | $67.32–$94.05 | 50% |
| Children's National Hospital Washington, DC · (202) 476-5000 H AND H HEMOGLOBIIN+8 more lines at this price source file | $54.50 | $109.00 | $45.78–$59.62 | 50% |
| MedStar Georgetown Hospital Northwest Washington, DC · (202) 784-3000 HEMOGLOBIN File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $60.19 | $92.60 | $32.41–$83.34 | 35% |
| Children's National Hospital Washington, DC · (202) 476-5000 THALASSEMIA AND HGB PNL BLD CNT HGB source file | $128.50 | $257.00 | $107.94–$140.58 | 50% |
Inpatient: lowest $12.50, median $19.50, highest $60.19 — a 4.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 18 facilities here, median $20.70 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 10 of 10 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 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 hemoglobin test measures the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. It is used to check for anemia or bleeding and to follow treatment.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.
1 row held back from this comparison
It is priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 85018 ($24.00). Such a line is almost always a physician's fee billed separately, an assistant's share or a placeholder — a real charge, but not the price of the procedure itself.
| Hospital | Cash price | File |
|---|---|---|
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VAChgl (Qu) Porphobilinogen, 24 Hr Ur, S/O | $0.50 | file |