Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Augusta, GA
In Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC, 5 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid): from $17.55 to $100.60, with a median of $85.07. The lowest listed price is at Wellstar Mcg Health, Affiliated With Med Col — $67.52 less than the median here. Across Georgia, the median is $82.46 at 90 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 3 cities for code 87070, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 1, 2026.
Lowest$17.55Wellstar Mcg Health, Affiliated With Med Col
Median$85.07half of hospitals charge less
Highest$100.60in this market
Difference5.7×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 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC.
median
Lowest $17.55Highest $1,243.64
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellstar Mcg Health, Affiliated With Med Col lowest Augusta, GA · (706) 721-6569 Hc Culture Bacterial Except Urine Blood/Stool Aerobic Isolates File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $17.55 | $45.00 | — | 61% |
| Edgefield County Healthcare An Affiliate of Self R Edgefield, SC · (803) 637-3174 HC Culture Aerob,Other Source source file | $48.00 | $80.00 | $39.20–$71.60 | 40% |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $85.07 | $85.07 | $12.08–$76.56 | — |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Cult Aerobic Presump ID Eye File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $100.60 | $335.35 | $0.01–$301.82 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Cult Aerobic Presump ID Eye File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $100.60 | $335.35 | $0.34–$301.82 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Cult Aerobic Other Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $105.45 | $351.50 | $0.35–$316.35 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Cult Aerobic Other Pres ID File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $105.45 | $351.50 | $0.01–$316.35 | 70% |
| Edgefield County Healthcare An Affiliate of Self R Edgefield, SC · (803) 637-3174 HC Vaginal Culture+1 more line at this price source file | $107.28 | $178.80 | $87.61–$160.03 | 40% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Cult Aerob Presump ID Wound File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $108.87 | $362.90 | $0.36–$326.61 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Cult Aerob Presump ID Wound File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $108.87 | $362.90 | $0.01–$326.61 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Cult Aerobic Presump ID Bf File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $109.72 | $365.75 | $0.37–$329.18 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Cult Aerobic Presump ID Bf File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $109.72 | $365.75 | $0.01–$329.18 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Cult Aerob Presump ID Tissue File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $113.14 | $377.15 | $0.38–$339.44 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Cult Aerob Presump ID Tissue File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $113.14 | $377.15 | $0.01–$339.44 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Culture Genital File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $124.26 | $414.20 | $0.01–$372.78 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Culture Genital File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $124.26 | $414.20 | $0.41–$372.78 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Culture Sputum File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $127.68 | $425.60 | $0.43–$383.04 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Culture Sputum File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $127.68 | $425.60 | $0.01–$383.04 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Culture CSF File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $131.10 | $437.00 | $0.44–$393.30 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Culture CSF File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $131.10 | $437.00 | $0.01–$393.30 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Culture Bronchial File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $138.79 | $462.65 | $0.46–$416.39 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Culture Bronchial File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $138.79 | $462.65 | $0.01–$416.39 | 70% |
| Piedmont Augusta Augusta, GA · (706) 722-9011 HC Culture Respiratory File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $143.92 | $479.75 | $0.01–$431.78 | 70% |
| Piedmont McDuffie Hospital Thomson, GA · (706) 595-1411 HC Culture Respiratory File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $143.92 | $479.75 | $0.48–$431.78 | 70% |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE TISSUE+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $168.36 | $168.36 | $23.91–$151.52 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULT NOSE File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $208.19 | $208.19 | $29.56–$187.37 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE EYE File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $224.48 | $224.48 | $31.88–$202.03 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE TRACHEA File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $231.72 | $231.72 | $32.90–$208.55 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE SKIN File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $237.14 | $237.14 | $33.67–$213.43 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE SPUTUM File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $249.82 | $249.82 | $35.47–$224.84 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE PLACENTA File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $275.15 | $275.15 | $39.07–$247.63 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULT NASOPHARYNGEAL+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $276.98 | $276.98 | $39.33–$249.28 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULT THROAT File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $307.75 | $307.75 | $43.70–$276.98 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE EAR File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $329.47 | $329.47 | $46.78–$296.52 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE WOUND File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $342.14 | $342.14 | $48.58–$307.93 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE GENITAL+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $365.70 | $365.70 | $51.93–$329.13 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE CSF+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $421.80 | $421.80 | $59.90–$379.62 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE ASPIRATE File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $874.35 | $874.35 | $124.16–$786.91 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE BRONCH BRUSH+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $1,037.28 | $1,037.28 | $147.29–$933.55 | — |
| Doctors Hospital Augusta, GA · (706) 651-6008 CULTURE BRONCHIAL File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $1,243.64 | $1,243.64 | $176.60–$1,119.28 | — |
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 $17.55, median $85.07, highest $100.60 — a 5.7× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $100.60. 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 3 of 4 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 it is
A bacterial culture grows bacteria from a sample such as a wound, throat swab, eye or fluid to find which germ causes an infection. It takes one to three days.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test; collecting the sample may be billed separately.