Blood culture cost in Atlanta, GA
In Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, 35 hospitals list a cash price for blood culture for bacteria: from $21.30 to $495.00, with a median of $150.76. The lowest listed price is at Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital and 8 other hospitals — $129.46 less than the median here. Across Georgia, the median is $150.76 at 88 hospitals.
- The median here, $150.76, is 31% above the US median of $115.50.
- That is 14.6× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($10.32).
- 10 of 35 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Cash prices at 35 facilities across 25 cities for code 87040, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Oct 30, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 24, 2026 and Aug 6, 2026.
Lowest$21.30Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital + 8 more
Median$150.76half of hospitals charge less
Highest$495.00in this market
Difference23.2×highest vs lowest
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
median
Lowest $21.30Highest $495.00
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital lowest Griffin, GA · (770) 228-2721 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar Sylvan Grove Hospital lowest Jackson, GA · (770) 775-7861 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar Cobb Hospital lowest Austell, GA · (770) 732-4000 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar North Fulton Hospital lowest Roswell, GA · (770) 751-2500 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar Douglas Hospital lowest Douglasville, GA · (770) 949-1500 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar Paulding Hospital lowest Hiram, GA · (470) 644-7000 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar Roosevelt Long Term Acute Care At Warm Sp lowest Warm Springs, GA Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar Kennestone Hospital lowest Marietta, GA · (770) 793-5000 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital lowest Marietta, GA Hc Culture Bacterial Blood Aerobic W/Id Presumptive Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.30 | $54.62 | — | 61% |
| Warm Springs Medical Center Warm Springs, GA · (706) 655-9351 CULTURE BLOOD File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $73.00 | $146.00 | $57.00–$128.00 | 50% |
| Tanner Medical Center - Carrollton Carrollton, GA · (770) 836-9580 BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $78.80 | $197.00 | $10.32–$11.35 | 60% |
| Willowbrooke at Tanner Villa Rica, GA · (770) 456-3101 BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $78.80 | $197.00 | $10.32–$11.35 | 60% |
| Higgins General Hospital Bremen, GA · (770) 812-2000 BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $78.80 | $197.00 | — | 60% |
| Tanner Medical Center - Villa Rica Villa Rica, GA · (770) 456-3101 BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $78.80 | $197.00 | $10.32–$12.38 | 60% |
| Warm Springs Medical Center Warm Springs, GA · (706) 655-9351 CULTURE BLOOD ARD File of Mar 30, 2026 · source file | $91.50 | $183.00 | $72.00–$161.00 | 50% |
| Piedmont Walton Monroe, GA · (770) 267-8461 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$452.30 | 70% |
| Piedmont Newton Covington, GA · (770) 786-7053 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$427.17 | 70% |
| Piedmont Henry Stockbridge, GA · (678) 604-1000 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$427.17 | 70% |
| Piedmont Fayette Fayetteville, GA · (770) 719-7000 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$427.17 | 70% |
| Piedmont Rockdale Conyers, GA · (770) 918-3000 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$376.91 | 70% |
| Piedmont Newnan Newnan, GA · (770) 400-2300 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$467.37 | 70% |
| Piedmont Eastside Snellville, GA · (770) 979-0200 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$452.30 | 70% |
| Piedmont Atlanta Atlanta, GA · (404) 605-5000 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$427.17 | 70% |
| Piedmont Mountainside Jasper, GA · (706) 692-2441 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$427.17 | 70% |
| Piedmont Cartersville Cartersville, GA · (470) 490-1000 HC Cult Blood Isol W Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $150.76 | $502.55 | $0.01–$452.30 | 70% |
| Tanner Medical Center - Villa Rica Villa Rica, GA · (770) 456-3101 BACTERIAL BLOOD CULTURE File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $157.60 | $394.00 | $10.32–$12.38 | 60% |
| Tanner Medical Center - Carrollton Carrollton, GA · (770) 836-9580 BACTERIAL BLOOD CULTURE File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $157.60 | $394.00 | $10.32–$11.35 | 60% |
| Higgins General Hospital Bremen, GA · (770) 812-2000 BACTERIAL BLOOD CULTURE File of Mar 24, 2026 · source file | $157.60 | $394.00 | — | 60% |
| Shepherd Center Northwest Atlanta, GA HC CULT BLOOD ISOL W PRES ID File of Aug 6, 2026 · source file | $164.50 | $329.00 | $98.70–$296.10 | 50% |
| DeKalb Medical at Decatur Decatur, GA Hc Culture - Bacterial Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.00 | $174.00 | — | — |
| Emory Decatur Hospital Decatur, GA · (404) 501-1000 Hc Culture - Bacterial Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.00 | $174.00 | — | — |
| Emory University Hospital Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-8500 Hc Culture - Bacterial Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.00 | $174.00 | — | — |
| Emory University Hospital Midtown Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-2450 Hc Culture - Bacterial Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.00 | $174.00 | — | — |
| Emory Hillandale Hospital Lithonia, GA · (404) 501-8040 Hc Culture - Bacterial Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.00 | $174.00 | — | — |
| Saint Josephs Hospital of Atlanta Atlanta, GA · (678) 843-7001 Hc Culture - Bacterial Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.00 | $174.00 | — | — |
| Emory Johns Creek Hospital Johns Creek, GA · (678) 474-7000 Hc Culture - Bacterial Blood+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $174.00 | $174.00 | — | — |
| Emory University Hospital Midtown Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-2450 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood - Blood Culture Neonate Bacterial/Yeast Culture+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $205.00 | $205.00 | — | — |
| Emory Johns Creek Hospital Johns Creek, GA · (678) 474-7000 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood - Blood Culture Bacterial/Yeast+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $205.00 | $205.00 | — | — |
| Emory University Hospital Atlanta, GA · (404) 686-8500 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood - Blood Culture Barteonella/Hacek, Using Isolator+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $205.00 | $205.00 | — | — |
| Emory Hillandale Hospital Lithonia, GA · (404) 501-8040 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood - Blood Culture Bacterial/Yeast+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $205.00 | $205.00 | — | — |
| DeKalb Medical at Decatur Decatur, GA Hc Culture Bacterial Blood - Blood Culture Barteonella/Hacek, Using Isolator+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $205.00 | $205.00 | — | — |
| Emory Decatur Hospital Decatur, GA · (404) 501-1000 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood - Blood Culture Neonate Bacterial/Yeast Culture+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $205.00 | $205.00 | — | — |
| Saint Josephs Hospital of Atlanta Atlanta, GA · (678) 843-7001 Hc Culture Bacterial Blood - Blood Culture Bacterial/Yeast+3 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $205.00 | $205.00 | — | — |
| Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Atlanta, GA · (404) 785-5252 Culture Blood+1 more line at this price File of May 14, 2026 · source file | $495.00 | $495.00 | — | — |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Meridian Mark Atlanta, GA Culture Blood+Yeast+1 more line at this price File of May 14, 2026 · source file | $495.00 | $495.00 | — | — |
| Children's Healthcare of Atlanta – Arthur M. Blank Atlanta, GA Culture Blood+1 more line at this price File of May 14, 2026 · source file | $495.00 | $495.00 | — | — |
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
Insurers pay The lowest and highest rates this hospital has agreed with insurance plans for the same item, from its price file. If the cash price is below what your plan pays and you have not met your deductible, paying cash can cost you less. More
Off list How much lower the cash price is than the list price.
No cash discount This line's cash price equals the hospital's full list price. Many hospitals still reduce bills for uninsured patients: ask the billing office for its self-pay discount in writing. More
Outpatient: lowest $21.30, median $150.76, highest $495.00 — a 23.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 28 facilities here, median $150.76. 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 12 of 15 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 blood culture is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Blood culture explained.
1 row held back from this comparison
It is priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 87040 ($120.61). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Regional Medical Center Southwest Riverdale, GAHc Blood Culture For Bacteria | $10.00 | file |
File Link to the hospital's own price file.