TB blood test (IGRA) cost in Waterloo, IA — inpatient
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for TB blood test measuring immune response (IGRA, gamma interferon) as an inpatient: from $110.00 to $358.15, with a median of $279.50. The lowest listed price is at Allen Hospital — $169.50 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $164.45 at 36 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 86480, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Hospital lowest Waterloo, IA · (319) 235-3941 HC TB TEST CELL IMMUN MEASURE | $110.00 | $137.50 | $88.96 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo, IA · (319) 235-3941 PR TB TEST,CELL IMMUN MEAS BY GAMMA INTERFRON | $153.60 | $192.00 | $37.19–$121.68 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Sartori Memorial Hospital Cedar Falls, IA · (319) 268-3000 HC TB Test Cell Mediated Immunity Antigen Response Gamma Interferon | $279.50 | $430.00 | $60.06–$430.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center Waterloo, IA · (319) 272-8000 HC TB Test Cell Mediated Immunity Antigen Response Gamma Interferon | $358.15 | $551.00 | $60.06–$551.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center Waterloo, IA · (319) 272-8000 HC Warde TB Test Cell Mediated Immunity Antigen Response Gamma Interferon | $358.15 | $551.00 | $60.06–$551.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sartori Memorial Hospital Cedar Falls, IA · (319) 268-3000 HC Warde TB Test Cell Mediated Immunity Antigen Response Gamma Interferon | $358.15 | $551.00 | $60.06–$551.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $110.00, median $279.50, highest $358.15 — a 3.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $279.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 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
This blood test, known as an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), such as QuantiFERON, checks whether the immune system reacts to tuberculosis proteins. It is used to screen for TB infection, often for work, school or immigration, and replaces the skin test for many people.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the lab test only. The blood draw is often billed separately, and a chest X-ray after a positive result has its own charge.