Blood culture cost in Los Angeles, CA
In Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, 27 hospitals list a cash price for blood culture for bacteria: from $12.36 to $812.50, with a median of $241.92. The lowest listed price is at Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital — $229.56 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $272.16 at 94 hospitals.
Cash prices at 27 facilities across 19 cities for code 87040, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Nov 26, 2025 and Apr 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital lowest Marina del Rey, CA · (310) 823-8911 Outpatient Global Laboratory, Radiology and Diagnostic Services | $12.36 | $19.02 | $24.98–$80.04 | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital lowest Marina del Rey, CA · (310) 823-8911 Clinical and Anatomical Laboratory Services | $12.36 | $19.02 | $24.98–$80.04 | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital lowest Marina del Rey, CA · (310) 823-8911 HB LAB CULT BAC BLOOD | $12.36 | $19.02 | — | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital lowest Marina del Rey, CA · (310) 823-8911 Laboratory Services | $12.36 | $19.02 | $24.98–$80.04 | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Mission Hills, CA · (818) 365-8051 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $23.80 | $68.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Burbank, CA · (818) 843-5111 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $32.90 | $94.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Saint John's Health Center Santa Monica, CA · (310) 829-5511 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $41.30 | $118.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Newport Beach, CA · (949) 764-4624 HC Blood Culture for Bacteria | $54.76 | $84.24 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Mission Hills, CA · (818) 365-8051 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $137.90 | $394.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center Tarzana, CA · (818) 881-0800 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $161.00 | $460.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UCI Health - Fountain Valley Orange, CA · (714) 456-7890 CULTURE BLOOD | $188.00 | $470.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UCI Health - Los Alamitos Orange, CA · (714) 456-7890 CULTURE BLOOD | $188.00 | $470.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UCI Health - Placentia Linda Orange, CA · (714) 456-7890 CULTURE BLOOD | $188.00 | $470.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Little Co of Mary Medical Center San Pedro San Pedro, CA · (310) 832-3311 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $189.00 | $540.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance Torrance, CA · (310) 540-7676 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $189.00 | $540.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St Joseph Hospital of Orange Orange, CA · (714) 633-9111 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $195.84 | $408.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Burbank, CA · (818) 843-5111 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $212.10 | $606.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Saint John's Health Center Santa Monica, CA · (310) 829-5511 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $231.70 | $662.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St Jude Hospital Fullerton, CA · (714) 992-3000 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $237.60 | $495.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mission Hospital Regional Med Center Mission Viejo, CA · (949) 364-1400 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $241.92 | $504.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Orange County - Anaheim Anaheim, CA · (714) 279-4000 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Baldwin Park Baldwin Park, CA · (626) 851-1011 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Panorama City Panorama City, CA · (818) 375-2000 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Downey Downey, CA · (562) 461-6007 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - South Bay Harbor City, CA · (310) 325-5111 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA · (323) 783-4011 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Woodland Hills Woodland Hills, CA · (818) 719-3800 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Orange County - Irvine Irvine, CA CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - West la Los Angeles, CA · (213) 857-2201 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $279.76 | $538.00 | $7.00–$20.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Providence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center Tarzana, CA · (818) 881-0800 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $343.70 | $982.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA · (310) 423-5000 HB VIRAL RESPIRATORY PANEL WITH COVID19 - 22 TARGETS | $348.31 | $535.86 | — | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Providence Little Co of Mary Medical Center San Pedro San Pedro, CA · (310) 832-3311 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $468.30 | $1,338.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance Torrance, CA · (310) 540-7676 HC BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $468.30 | $1,338.00 | — | 65% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UCI Health - Lakewood Orange, CA · (714) 456-7890 CULTURE BLOOD | $475.60 | $1,189.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Keck Hospital of USC Los Angeles, CA · (323) 442-8656 Blood Culture For Bacteria | $616.25 | $616.25 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA · (310) 423-5000 CULTURE, BACTERIAL; BLOOD, AEROBIC, WITH ISOLATION AND PRESUMPTIVE IDENTIFICATION OF ISOLATES (INCLUDES ANAEROBIC CULTURE, IF APPROPRIATE) | $770.71 | $1,185.71 | $24.96–$143.55 | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA · (310) 423-5000 CULTURE, BACTERIAL; BLOOD, AEROBIC, WITH ISOLATION AND PRESUMPTIVE IDENTIFICATION OF ISOLATES (INCLUDES ANAEROBIC CLUTUR | $770.71 | $1,185.71 | $24.96–$143.55 | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA · (310) 423-5000 HB LAB CULT BAC BLOOD | $770.71 | $1,185.71 | — | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA · (310) 423-5000 Laboratory Services | $770.71 | $1,185.71 | $24.96–$143.55 | 35% | Nov 26, 2025 source file |
| USC Kenneth Norris Jr Cancer Hospital Los Angeles, CA Blood Culture For Bacteria | $812.50 | $812.50 | — | — | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $12.36, median $241.92, highest $812.50 — a 65.7× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 28 facilities here, median $279.76. 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 1 of 10 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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
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.
11 rows held back from this comparison
They are priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 87040 ($100.75). 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.
| La Palma Intercommunity Hospital La Palma, CAHc Blood Culture For Bacteria | $10.00 | file |
| Encino Hospital Medical Center Encino, CABLOOD CULTURE ROUTINE LABCORP | $10.00 | file |
| Encino Hospital Medical Center Encino, CABLOOD CULTURE ROUTINE LC | $10.00 | file |
| Encino Hospital Medical Center Encino, CABLOOD CULTURE*SOH | $10.00 | file |
| Encino Hospital Medical Center Encino, CACULT BLD AER/AN | $10.00 | file |
| Centinela Hospital Medical Center Inglewood, CABLOOD CULTURE ROUTINE LABCORP | $10.00 | file |
| Centinela Hospital Medical Center Inglewood, CACULT BLOOD AERO/ANAERO | $10.00 | file |
| Centinela Hospital Medical Center Inglewood, CAREF BLOOD CULTURE | $10.00 | file |
| Sherman Oaks Hospital Sherman Oaks, CABLOOD CULTURE ROUTINE LABCORP | $10.00 | file |
| Sherman Oaks Hospital Sherman Oaks, CABLOOD CULTURE | $10.00 | file |
| Sherman Oaks Hospital Sherman Oaks, CABLOOD CULTURE ROUTINE LC | $10.00 | file |