Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Indianapolis, IN — inpatient
In Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN, 15 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) as an inpatient: from $41.58 to $160.20, with a median of $157.20. The lowest listed price is at Franciscan St Francis Health - Carmel and 1 other hospital — $115.62 less than the median here. Across Indiana, the median is $93.42 at 86 hospitals.
Cash prices at 15 facilities across 7 cities for code 87070, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franciscan St Francis Health - Carmel lowest Carmel, IN · (317) 528-5000 Bacterial Culture - Othr Source 671+1 more line at this price source file | $41.58 | $180.00 | $6.81–$162.00 | 77% |
| Franciscan Health Indianapolis lowest Indianapolis, IN · (317) 528-5000 Bacterial Culture - Othr Source 671+1 more line at this price source file | $41.58 | $180.00 | $6.81–$162.00 | 77% |
| Franciscan Health Mooresville Mooresville, IN · (317) 831-1160 Bacterial Culture - Othr Source 671+1 more line at this price source file | $45.72 | $180.00 | $6.81–$162.00 | 75% |
| Rehabilitation Hospital Of Indiana Indianapolis, IN Wound Culture and Stain RHI+3 more lines at this price source file | $48.45 | $85.00 | $731.50–$3,209.00 | 43% |
| Riverview Health Noblesville, IN · (317) 773-0760 CULTURE AEROBIC ONLY+13 more lines at this price source file | $52.80 | $88.00 | — | 40% |
| Eskenazi Health Indianapolis, IN · (317) 880-4818 HC Bacterial Culture Other Source source file | $91.80 | $102.00 | $8.00–$102.00 | 10% |
| Ascension St. Vincent Anderson Hospital Anderson, IN · (765) 649-2511 CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $153.00 | $255.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Endo Surgery Center Carmel, IN #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $157.20 | $262.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| St. Vincent Carmel Hospital Carmel, IN · (317) 582-7000 #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $157.20 | $262.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| St. Vincent Fishers Hospital Fishers, IN · (317) 415-9000 #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $157.20 | $262.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Ascension St. Vincent Seton Speciality Hospital Indianapolis, IN #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $157.20 | $262.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana Carmel, IN · (317) 583-5000 #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $157.20 | $262.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Carmel AmbSurg Carmel, IN #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $157.20 | $262.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Naab Road Surgery Center Indianapolis, IN #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $157.20 | $262.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Ascension St. Vincent Anderson Hospital Anderson, IN · (765) 649-2511 #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $159.00 | $265.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Ascension St Vincent Mercy Elwood, IN · (765) 552-4743 #CULT BACT OTH SRC;AER source file | $160.20 | $267.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Ascension St Vincent Mercy Elwood, IN · (765) 552-4743 CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $208.20 | $347.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| St. Vincent Carmel Hospital Carmel, IN · (317) 582-7000 CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $244.80 | $408.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| St. Vincent Fishers Hospital Fishers, IN · (317) 415-9000 CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $244.80 | $408.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Ascension St. Vincent Seton Speciality Hospital Indianapolis, IN CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $244.80 | $408.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Naab Road Surgery Center Indianapolis, IN CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $244.80 | $408.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Endo Surgery Center Carmel, IN CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $244.80 | $408.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana Carmel, IN · (317) 583-5000 CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $244.80 | $408.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
| Carmel AmbSurg Carmel, IN CULT BACT OTHSRC EX URN/BLD/ST source file | $244.80 | $408.00 | $2.65–$19.65 | 40% |
Inpatient: lowest $41.58, median $157.20, highest $160.20 — a 3.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 20 facilities here, median $151.70 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 14 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 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.