Blood culture cost in Cincinnati, OH — inpatient
In Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, 11 hospitals list a cash price for blood culture for bacteria as an inpatient: from $31.73 to $148.80, with a median of $90.60. The lowest listed price is at McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital — $58.87 less than the median here. Across Ohio, the median is $93.60 at 99 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 7 cities for code 87040, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Jul 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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital lowest Oxford, OH · (513) 523-2111 HC Blood Culture | $31.73 | $42.31 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Health Fairfield Hospital Fairfield, OH · (513) 870-7000 HC Culture Blood | $90.60 | $151.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Clermont Hospital Batavia, OH · (513) 732-8278 HC Culture Blood | $90.60 | $151.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health West Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 215-5000 HC Culture Blood | $90.60 | $151.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Anderson Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 624-4500 HC Culture Blood | $90.60 | $151.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Kings Mills Hospital Mason, OH · (513) 637-9999 HC Culture Blood | $90.60 | $151.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Cincinnati, OH · (513) 686-3000 HC Culture Blood | $90.60 | $151.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| University of Cincinnati Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 584-1000 Hc B87 Sterility | $99.00 | $165.00 | — | 40% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Chester Hospital West Chester, OH · (513) 298-7701 Hc B87 Sterility | $99.00 | $165.00 | — | 40% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Chester Hospital West Chester, OH · (513) 298-7701 Hc Culture Blood | $116.40 | $194.00 | — | 40% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| University of Cincinnati Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 584-1000 Hc Culture Blood | $116.40 | $194.00 | — | 40% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 636-3333 Hb Blood Culture | $142.29 | $279.00 | $133.92–$279.00 | 49% | — source file |
| Fort Hamilton Hospital Hamilton, OH · (513) 867-2123 Hc Culture Blood | $148.80 | $372.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $31.73, median $90.60, highest $148.80 — a 4.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 13 facilities here, median $90.60 — 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. 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
A blood culture checks for bacteria or yeast in the blood. It is ordered for fever with signs of a serious infection, such as sepsis.
What the price covers
The price is usually for one culture set. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.