Blood culture cost in Minneapolis, MN — inpatient
In Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, 21 hospitals list a cash price for blood culture for bacteria as an inpatient: from $18.81 to $153.55, with a median of $70.46. The lowest listed price is at M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center — $51.65 less than the median here. Across Minnesota, the median is $79.71 at 50 hospitals.
Cash prices at 21 facilities across 18 cities for code 87040, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 29, 2026 and Jun 17, 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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center lowest Minneapolis, MN · (612) 624-1765 PR CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $18.81 | $30.00 | $10.30–$27.00 | 37% | Feb 6, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Hospital St. Louis Park, MN Microbiology | $20.28 | $78.00 | $9.62–$58.50 | 74% | — source file |
| North Memorial Health Care Robbinsdale, MN · (763) 520-5200 Bacterial blood culture | $37.42 | $71.00 | $7.66–$56.80 | 47% | — source file |
| Maple Grove Hospital Maple Grove, MN · (763) 581-1000 Bacterial blood culture | $37.42 | $71.00 | $7.66–$56.80 | 47% | — source file |
| Childrens Health Care Minneapolis, MN · (612) 813-6112 BLOOD CULTURE BACTERIA | $45.00 | $45.00 | $15.21–$40.50 | — | May 7, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Health Care Minneapolis, MN · (612) 813-6112 CULTURE BACTERIAL BLOOD AEROBIC W/ID ISOLATES | $45.00 | $45.00 | $15.21–$40.50 | — | May 7, 2026 source file |
| Allina Health Systems River Falls, WI HCHG BLOOD CULTURE-BACTEC | $61.66 | $110.10 | $67.46–$110.10 | 44% | Jun 15, 2026 source file |
| Buffalo Hospital Buffalo, MN · (763) 682-1212 HCHG BLOOD CULTURE-BACTEC | $61.66 | $110.10 | $48.92–$110.10 | 44% | Jun 16, 2026 source file |
| Cambridge Medical Center Cambridge, MN · (763) 689-7700 HCHG BLOOD CULTURE-BACTEC | $61.66 | $110.10 | $48.92–$110.10 | 44% | Jun 16, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Coon Rapids, MN · (762) 236-6000 HCHG BLOOD CULTURE-BACTEC | $67.49 | $140.60 | $94.09–$118.10 | 52% | Jun 17, 2026 source file |
| Abbott Northwestern Hospital Minneapolis, MN · (612) 863-4000 HCHG BLOOD CULTURE-BACTEC | $67.49 | $140.60 | $94.09–$118.10 | 52% | Jun 16, 2026 source file |
| Regions Hospital St. Paul, MN · (651) 254-1616 Microbiology | $70.46 | $271.00 | $10.09–$21.86 | 74% | — source file |
| Fairview Lakes Health Services Wyoming, MN · (952) 892-2101 HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $74.73 | $186.34 | $97.08–$167.71 | 60% | Feb 5, 2026 source file |
| HealthEast St John's Hospital Maplewood, MN · (651) 232-7000 HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $75.27 | $187.69 | $97.79–$168.92 | 60% | Feb 5, 2026 source file |
| HealthEast Woodwinds Hospital Woodbury, MN · (651) 232-2185 HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $75.27 | $187.69 | $97.79–$168.92 | 60% | Feb 5, 2026 source file |
| M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital Edina, MN · (952) 924-5000 HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $75.27 | $187.69 | $97.79–$168.92 | 60% | Feb 6, 2026 source file |
| M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center Minneapolis, MN · (612) 624-1765 HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $75.37 | $187.94 | $97.92–$169.15 | 60% | Feb 6, 2026 source file |
| Fairview Northland Regional Hospital Princeton, MN · (952) 892-2101 HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $75.40 | $188.03 | $97.96–$169.23 | 60% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Fairview Bethesda Hospital St. Paul, MN HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $75.51 | $188.30 | $50.35–$169.47 | 60% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital Burnsville, MN · (952) 892-2000 HC CULTURE, BLOOD | $79.90 | $188.00 | $97.95–$169.20 | 58% | Feb 6, 2026 source file |
| Westfields Hospital New Richmond, WI · (715) 246-2101 Microbiology | $82.58 | $157.00 | $31.46–$157.00 | 47% | — source file |
| Hudson Hospital Hudson, WI · (715) 531-6000 Microbiology | $114.13 | $253.00 | $8.77–$253.00 | 55% | — source file |
| Lakeview Hospital Stillwater, MN · (651) 430-4509 Microbiology | $153.55 | $415.00 | $0.32–$373.50 | 63% | — source file |
| Childrens Health Care Minneapolis, MN · (612) 813-6112 BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $306.00 | $306.00 | $103.43–$275.40 | — | May 7, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Health Care Minneapolis, MN · (612) 813-6112 BLOOD CULTURE | $306.00 | $306.00 | $103.43–$275.40 | — | May 7, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $18.81, median $70.46, highest $153.55 — a 8.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 21 facilities here, median $70.46 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 19 of 21 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 9 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.