Blood culture cost in Sparta, NC — inpatient
In Sparta, NC, 1 hospital lists a cash price for blood culture for bacteria as an inpatient: from $67.50 to $67.50, with a median of $67.50. Across North Carolina, the median is $150.05 at 53 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87040, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Aug 12, 2025 and Aug 12, 2025.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleghany County Memorial Hospital Sparta, NC · (336) 372-5511 HC CULTURE BLOOD | $67.50 | $135.00 | $113.40–$124.20 | 50% | Aug 12, 2025 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $67.50, median $67.50, highest $67.50.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $67.50 — 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
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.