Rheumatoid factor test cost in San Diego, CA
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 9 hospitals list a cash price for rheumatoid factor (RF) test: from $5.00 to $13.00, with a median of $8.30. The lowest listed price is at Paradise Valley Hospital — $3.30 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $13.20 at 93 hospitals.
Cash prices at 9 facilities across 6 cities for code 86431, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA · (619) 470-4321 RA FACTOR LC164065 | $5.00 | $28.35 | $1.70–$32.74 | 82% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA · (619) 470-4321 RA FACTOR QUAN | $5.00 | $5.67 | $1.70–$32.74 | 12% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Paradise Valley Hospital lowest National City, CA · (619) 470-4321 RA LATEX, LC006502 | $5.00 | $32.74 | $1.70–$32.74 | 85% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Rheumatoid factor level | $7.43 | $13.50 | $1.62–$18.23 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC RHEUMATOID FACTOR BF | $8.30 | $11.07 | $0.70–$9.08 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC RHEUMATOID FACTOR BF | $8.30 | $11.07 | $0.71–$8.30 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC RHEUMATOID FACTOR BF | $8.30 | $11.07 | $1.10–$119.86 | 25% | — source file |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC RHEUMATOID FACTOR BF | $8.30 | $11.07 | $0.70–$119.86 | 25% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA RHEUMATOID FACTOR QUANTITATIVE | $13.00 | $25.00 | $3.00–$10.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA RHEUMATOID FACTOR QUANTITATIVE | $13.00 | $25.00 | $3.00–$10.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 RHEUMATOID FACTOR QUANTITATIVE | $13.00 | $25.00 | $3.00–$10.00 | 48% | — source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Rheumatoid Factor Level | $89.65 | $163.00 | $5.67–$220.05 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $5.00, median $8.30, highest $13.00 — a 2.6× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 8 facilities here, median $8.30. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 9 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
Rheumatoid factor is an antibody found in many people with rheumatoid arthritis. The test is part of the workup for joint pain and swelling.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.