Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Brainerd, MN — inpatient
In Brainerd, MN, 1 hospital lists a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) as an inpatient: from $115.08 to $115.08, with a median of $115.08. Across Minnesota, the median is $66.72 at 82 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87070, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2026 and Jan 1, 2026.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center Brainerd, MN · (218) 829-2861 LAB CULTURE BACTERIA File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $115.08 | $171.00 | $73.34–$145.35 | 33% |
Inpatient: lowest $115.08, median $115.08, highest $115.08.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $111.43 — 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. 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.