Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Charleston, SC — inpatient
In Charleston-North Charleston, SC, 5 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) as an inpatient: from $27.95 to $102.50, with a median of $27.95. The lowest listed price is at Roper Hospital and 3 other hospitals. Across South Carolina, the median is $123.54 at 38 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 3 cities for code 87070, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 28, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roper Hospital lowest Charleston, SC · (843) 724-2800 HC So Body Fluid Culture File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $27.95 | $43.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper St Francis Hospital Berkeley lowest Summerville, SC · (854) 529-3002 HC So Body Fluid Culture File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $27.95 | $43.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper St Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital lowest Mount Pleasant, SC · (843) 724-2954 HC So Body Fluid Culture File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $27.95 | $43.00 | — | 35% |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital lowest Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC So Body Fluid Culture File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $27.95 | $43.00 | — | 35% |
| MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB STOOL CULTURE FOR OVERGROWTH+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $102.50 | $205.00 | — | 50% |
| Roper Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 724-2800 HC Culture, Aerobic File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $134.55 | $207.00 | — | 35% |
| Bon Secours St Francis Xavier Hospital Charleston, SC · (843) 402-1006 HC Culture, Aerobic File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $134.55 | $207.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper St Francis Hospital Berkeley Summerville, SC · (854) 529-3002 HC Culture, Aerobic File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $134.55 | $207.00 | — | 35% |
| Roper St Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital Mount Pleasant, SC · (843) 724-2954 HC Culture, Aerobic File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $134.55 | $207.00 | — | 35% |
| MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB CULTURE RESPIRATORY+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $181.50 | $363.00 | — | 50% |
| MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB CULTURE BACTERIAL (ROUTINE)+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $203.00 | $406.00 | — | 50% |
| MUSC Medical Center Charleston, SC · (843) 792-2300 HB CULTURE URINE IVLT File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $363.00 | $726.00 | — | 50% |
Inpatient: lowest $27.95, median $27.95, highest $102.50 — a 3.7× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $27.95 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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.