Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Boston, MA
In Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 26 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid): from $15.32 to $270.75, with a median of $70.00. The lowest listed price is at Boston Medical Center South — $54.68 less than the median here. Across Massachusetts, the median is $40.00 at 33 hospitals.
Cash prices at 26 facilities across 19 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 Dec 15, 2025 and Sep 1, 2026.
Lowest$15.32Boston Medical Center South
Median$70.00half of hospitals charge less
Highest$270.75in this market
Difference17.7×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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
median
Lowest $15.32Highest $365.25
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Medical Center South lowest Brockton, MA · (508) 427-3000 HC Chg Cul Bact Xcpt Urine Blood/Stool Aerobic Isol File of Mar 13, 2026 · source file | $15.32 | $34.04 | $7.60–$394.86 | 55% |
| Boston Medical Center Brighton Boston, MA · (617) 789-3000 HC Chg Cul Bact Xcpt Urine Blood/Stool Aerobic Isol File of Mar 13, 2026 · source file | $17.42 | $38.71 | $7.60–$475.07 | 55% |
| Tufts Medical Center Boston, MA · (617) 636-5000 HC Bacterial Culture - Othr Source+10 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.00 | $30.00 | $7.88–$37.39 | 30% |
| Lowell General Hospital Lowell, MA · (978) 937-6000 HC Bacterial Culture - Throat or Nose+10 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.00 | $30.00 | $10.50–$35.40 | 30% |
| Melrosewakefield Healthcare Melrose, MA · (781) 979-3000 HC Bacterial Culture - Othr Source+10 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $21.00 | $30.00 | $10.50–$530.75 | 30% |
| Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital Brockton, MA · (508) 941-7000 CULTURE-OTHER SOURCE File of Jan 28, 2026 · source file | $25.20 | $36.00 | $8.45–$27.63 | 30% |
| Emerson Hospital Concord, MA · (978) 369-1400 NOSE CULTURE+11 more lines at this price File of May 18, 2026 · source file | $27.00 | $36.00 | $8.17–$36.57 | 25% |
| Southcoast Hospitals Group - Tobey Hospital Campus Wareham, MA · (508) 679-3131 HC Culture Spec- Bacteria- Not Urine-Stool-Blood File of Dec 15, 2025 · source file | $37.50 | $75.00 | $8.62–$57.08 | 50% |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston, MA · (617) 667-7000 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $40.00 | $40.00 | — | — |
| Boston Medical Center Boston, MA · (617) 638-8000 HC Chg Cul Bact Xcpt Urine Blood/Stool Aerobic Isol File of Mar 13, 2026 · source file | $41.85 | $93.00 | $7.46–$512.54 | 55% |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton Milton, MA · (617) 696-4600 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $54.00 | $54.00 | — | — |
| Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge, MA · (617) 665-1000 HC Culture, Bacterial Not Urine Blood or Stool+1 more line at this price File of Mar 20, 2026 · source file | $64.00 | $64.00 | $7.60–$64.00 | — |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham Needham, MA · (781) 453-3002 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $68.00 | $68.00 | — | — |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth Plymouth, MA · (508) 746-2000 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $72.00 | $72.00 | — | — |
| Shriners Childrens - Boston Boston, MA · (617) 722-3000 BACTERIAL CULTURE; ANY OTHER SOURCE EXCEPT URINE; BLOOD OR STOOL; AEROBIC File of Mar 17, 2026 · source file | $83.40 | $83.40 | $7.46–$817.41 | — |
| Anna Jaques Hospital Newburyport, MA · (978) 463-1000 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $85.00 | $85.00 | — | — |
| New England Baptist Hospital Boston, MA · (617) 754-5800 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $93.00 | $93.00 | — | — |
| Mount Auburn Hospital Cambridge, MA · (617) 492-3500 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $98.00 | $98.00 | — | — |
| Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington Burlington, MA · (781) 744-5100 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $116.00 | $116.00 | — | — |
| Exeter Hospital Exeter, NH · (603) 778-7311 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $162.00 | $162.00 | — | — |
| Winchester Hospital Winchester, MA · (781) 729-9000 CHG CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $178.00 | $178.00 | — | — |
| Dover Emergency Room Dover, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE GENITAL File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $225.00 | $225.00 | $57.83–$213.75 | — |
| Seabrook Emergency Seabrook, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE GENITAL File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $225.00 | $225.00 | $57.83–$213.75 | — |
| Portsmouth Regional Hospital Portsmouth, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE GENITAL File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $225.00 | $225.00 | $57.83–$213.75 | — |
| Seabrook Emergency Seabrook, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI+6 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $252.00 | $252.00 | $64.76–$239.40 | — |
| Portsmouth Regional Hospital Portsmouth, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE BODY FLUID+6 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $252.00 | $252.00 | $64.76–$239.40 | — |
| Dover Emergency Room Dover, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI+6 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $252.00 | $252.00 | $64.76–$239.40 | — |
| Plaistow Fser Plaistow, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULTURE CATHETER TIP+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $270.75 | $270.75 | $56.86–$257.21 | — |
| Parkland Medical Center Derry, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULT THROAT+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $270.75 | $270.75 | $56.86–$257.21 | — |
| Seabrook Emergency Seabrook, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE RESPIRATORY File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $271.00 | $271.00 | $69.65–$257.45 | — |
| Dover Emergency Room Dover, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE RESPIRATORY File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $271.00 | $271.00 | $69.65–$257.45 | — |
| Portsmouth Regional Hospital Portsmouth, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE RESPIRATORY File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $271.00 | $271.00 | $69.65–$257.45 | — |
| Plaistow Fser Plaistow, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULTURE GENITAL+3 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $280.50 | $280.50 | $58.91–$266.48 | — |
| Parkland Medical Center Derry, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULTURE GENITAL+3 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $280.50 | $280.50 | $58.91–$266.48 | — |
| Seabrook Emergency Seabrook, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE CSF File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $287.00 | $287.00 | $73.76–$272.65 | — |
| Dover Emergency Room Dover, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE CSF File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $287.00 | $287.00 | $73.76–$272.65 | — |
| Portsmouth Regional Hospital Portsmouth, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE CSF File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $287.00 | $287.00 | $73.76–$272.65 | — |
| Parkland Medical Center Derry, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULTURE TISSUE+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $299.25 | $299.25 | $62.84–$284.29 | — |
| Plaistow Fser Plaistow, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULTURE TISSUE+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $299.25 | $299.25 | $62.84–$284.29 | — |
| Seabrook Emergency Seabrook, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE SURGICAL SPEC+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $356.00 | $356.00 | $91.49–$338.20 | — |
| Dover Emergency Room Dover, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE WOUND+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $356.00 | $356.00 | $91.49–$338.20 | — |
| Portsmouth Regional Hospital Portsmouth, NH · (603) 436-5110 CULTURE ABSCESS+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $356.00 | $356.00 | $91.49–$338.20 | — |
| Parkland Medical Center Derry, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULTURE EAR+3 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $365.25 | $365.25 | $76.70–$346.99 | — |
| Plaistow Fser Plaistow, NH · (603) 421-2100 CULTURE WOUND+3 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $365.25 | $365.25 | $76.70–$346.99 | — |
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 $15.32, median $70.00, highest $270.75 — a 17.7× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 20 facilities here, median $59.00. 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 10 of 16 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.