Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Duluth, MN — inpatient
In Duluth, MN-WI, 11 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) as an inpatient: from $11.05 to $99.03, with a median of $90.42. The lowest listed price is at Range Regional Health Services — $79.37 less than the median here. Across Minnesota, the median is $68.69 at 81 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 8 cities for code 87070, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 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 Duluth, MN-WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE,WOUND | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE,SPUTUM | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, BONE MARROW | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, MISC | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, BRONCHIAL | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, EYE | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, CATHETER TIP | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, PERIRECTAL | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, EYE SPECIAL | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, NOSE | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, EAR | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, GENITAL | $11.05 | $26.00 | $11.83–$25.87 | 58% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, ABCESS | $11.08 | $26.05 | $11.85–$25.92 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, CSF | $30.00 | $70.57 | $32.11–$70.23 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, BONE | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, GENITAL SPECIAL | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, THROAT | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, SKIN | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, TRACHEAL ASPIRATE | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, SINUS | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, FLUID | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, CYST | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Range Regional Health Services Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC CULTURE, TISSUE | $30.18 | $71.00 | $32.31–$70.65 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Community Memorial Hospital Cloquet, MN · (218) 879-4641 SLH OTHER CULTURE | $40.32 | $63.00 | $63.00–$100.00 | 36% | — source file |
| Community Memorial Hospital Cloquet, MN · (218) 879-4641 BACTERIAL CULTURE SPUTUM | $64.00 | $100.00 | $63.00–$100.00 | 36% | — source file |
| Community Memorial Hospital Cloquet, MN · (218) 879-4641 BACTERIAL CULTURE SP FL | $64.00 | $100.00 | $63.00–$100.00 | 36% | — source file |
| Community Memorial Hospital Cloquet, MN · (218) 879-4641 BACTERIAL CULTURE WOUND | $64.00 | $100.00 | $63.00–$100.00 | 36% | — source file |
| Community Memorial Hospital Cloquet, MN · (218) 879-4641 TISSUE CULTURE,GRAM STAIN/RVW | $64.00 | $100.00 | $63.00–$100.00 | 36% | — source file |
| Community Memorial Hospital Cloquet, MN · (218) 879-4641 BACTERIAL CULTURE OTHER SOURCE | $64.00 | $100.00 | $63.00–$100.00 | 36% | — source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 Fac Culture, Bacteria, Other | $64.74 | $119.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 Culture, Aerobic - Routine . Beaker1 | $64.74 | $119.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, CONFIRMATION (TO MDH) | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULURE, EYE | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, NOSE | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, SPUTUM | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, BODY FLUID | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, THROAT | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, GENITAL | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, WOUND | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| The Cook Hospital Cook, MN · (218) 666-5945 CULTURE, EAR | $85.80 | $130.00 | — | 34% | — source file |
| Essentia Health Virginia Virginia, MN · (218) 741-3340 LAB CULTURE BACTERIA | $86.04 | $137.00 | $58.76–$123.44 | 37% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Children's Hospital Duluth, MN LAB CULTURE BACTERIA | $90.42 | $137.00 | $58.76–$117.82 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical Center Duluth, MN · (218) 786-3574 LAB CULTURE BACTERIA | $90.42 | $137.00 | $58.76–$117.82 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Duluth Duluth, MN · (218) 786-2652 LAB CULTURE BACTERIA | $90.42 | $137.00 | $56.66–$117.82 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Moose Lake Moose Lake, MN · (218) 786-1367 LAB CULTURE BACTERIA | $99.03 | $134.00 | $53.87–$121.27 | 26% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St Marys Hospital-Superior Superior, WI · (715) 817-7000 LAB CULTURE BACTERIA | $99.03 | $134.00 | $53.87–$121.27 | 26% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Northern Pines Aurora, MN · (218) 229-4222 LAB CULTURE BACTERIA | $99.03 | $134.00 | $53.87–$134.00 | 26% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $11.05, median $90.42, highest $99.03 — a 9.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $90.42 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 9 of 9 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 2 it is 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.