Sed rate (ESR) cost in Worcester, MA — inpatient
In Worcester, MA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for sed rate (ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate) as an inpatient: from $18.00 to $89.00, with a median of $64.00. The lowest listed price is at HealthAlliance - Clinton Hospital — $46.00 less than the median here. Across Massachusetts, the median is $11.56 at 16 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 85652, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 26, 2026 and Apr 3, 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 Worcester, MA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HealthAlliance - Clinton Hospital lowest Leominster, MA · (978) 466-2000 HC Sedimentation Rate Erythrocyte Automated | $18.00 | $18.00 | — | — | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| UMass Memorial Health - Harrington Hospital Southbridge, MA · (508) 765-9771 HC Sedimentation Rate Erythrocyte Automated | $64.00 | $64.00 | — | — | Apr 3, 2026 source file |
| UMass Memorial Medical Center Worcester, MA · (508) 334-1000 HC Sedimentation Rate Erythrocyte Automated | $89.00 | $89.00 | — | — | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $18.00, median $64.00, highest $89.00 — a 4.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $64.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
What it is
The sed rate measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube. A fast rate is a general sign of inflammation; it is used for conditions such as giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica and to follow them.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.