Hepatitis C antibody test cost in Merced, CA — inpatient
In Merced, CA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for hepatitis C antibody blood test (screening) as an inpatient: from $129.78 to $129.78, with a median of $129.78. Across California, the median is $51.21 at 152 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 86803, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 28, 2026 and Feb 28, 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 Merced, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dignity Health lowest Merced, CA · (209) 564-5000 BM-HEPATITIS C AB | $129.78 | $252.00 | $151.20–$236.88 | 49% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Dignity Health Merced, CA · (209) 564-5000 HEPATITIS C AB | $173.56 | $337.00 | $202.20–$316.78 | 48% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $129.78, median $129.78, highest $129.78.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $129.78 — 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 and 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 looks for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus, which show a past or current infection. It is the usual first step in hepatitis C screening, which is recommended at least once for adults.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the antibody test only. The blood draw is often billed separately, and a positive result needs a hepatitis C RNA test, which has its own code and price.
3 rows held back from this comparison
They are priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 86803 ($84.00). 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.
| Dignity Health Merced, CARL-A-HCV AB QR 2010784 | $5.15 | file |
| Dignity Health Merced, CAH-HEP C ANTIBODY 8060 | $5.67 | file |
| Dignity Health Merced, CARL-ADV-HEP C AB | $7.35 | file |