Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Phoenix, AZ — inpatient
In Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ, 27 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) as an inpatient: from $9.12 to $514.00, with a median of $14.11. The lowest listed price is at Chandler Regional Medical Center — $4.99 less than the median here. Across Arizona, the median is $61.62 at 51 hospitals.
Cash prices at 27 facilities across 13 cities for code 87070, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Oct 2, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 28, 2026 and Sep 25, 2026.
Lowest$9.12Chandler Regional Medical Center
Median$14.11half of hospitals charge less
Highest$514.00in this market
Difference56.4×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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
median
Lowest $9.12Highest $514.00
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandler Regional Medical Center lowest Chandler, AZ · (480) 728-3000 S/O CULT BODY FLUID File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $9.12 | $34.00 | $18.36–$28.56 | 73% |
| Chandler Regional Medical Center Chandler, AZ · (480) 728-3000 RL-A-MC CSF 60106 File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $9.25 | $34.48 | $18.62–$28.97 | 73% |
| Banner University Medical Center Phoenix Phoenix, AZ · (602) 839-2000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA+10 more lines at this price File of Sep 25, 2026 · source file | $9.28 | $42.00 | $18.90–$31.50 | 78% |
| Banner Baywood Medical Center Mesa, AZ · (480) 321-2000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EAR+10 more lines at this price File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $9.37 | $42.00 | $18.90–$31.50 | 78% |
| Banner Desert Medical Center Mesa, AZ · (480) 412-3000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP UPPER+10 more lines at this price File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $10.25 | $42.00 | $18.90–$31.50 | 76% |
| Banner Thunderbird Medical Center Glendale, AZ · (602) 865-4470 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC WOUND+10 more lines at this price File of Sep 22, 2026 · source file | $10.63 | $42.00 | $18.90–$31.50 | 75% |
| St Josephs Hospital and Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (602) 406-8225 1931E RL-A-MC HPYL 2006686 File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $10.70 | $28.00 | $16.80–$22.12 | 62% |
| Banner Ironwood Medical Center Queen Creek, AZ LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA+10 more lines at this price File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $11.26 | $42.00 | $18.90–$31.50 | 73% |
| Banner Estrella Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (623) 327-4000 LAB CULT BACT FLUID BODY STERILE+10 more lines at this price File of Sep 25, 2026 · source file | $11.38 | $42.00 | $18.90–$31.50 | 73% |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZ · (480) 543-2000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 22, 2026 · source file | $12.22 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 84% |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZ · (480) 854-5050 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $12.30 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 84% |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZ · (623) 832-4000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 19, 2026 · source file | $13.65 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 82% |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZ · (480) 733-3300 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $13.80 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 82% |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZ · (520) 381-6300 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER NS File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $14.08 | $68.00 | $30.60–$51.00 | 79% |
| Banner Ocotillo Medical Center Chandler, AZ · (480) 256-7000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC TISSUE+10 more lines at this price File of Sep 24, 2026 · source file | $14.11 | $42.00 | $18.90–$31.50 | 66% |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZ · (623) 524-4000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 22, 2026 · source file | $15.08 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 80% |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZ · (520) 381-6300 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $15.52 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 79% |
| Banner University Medical Center Phoenix Phoenix, AZ · (602) 839-2000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 25, 2026 · source file | $16.58 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 78% |
| Banner Baywood Medical Center Mesa, AZ · (480) 321-2000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $16.73 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 78% |
| Banner Thunderbird Medical Center Glendale, AZ · (602) 865-4470 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER NS File of Sep 22, 2026 · source file | $17.20 | $68.00 | $30.60–$51.00 | 75% |
| Banner Desert Medical Center Mesa, AZ · (480) 412-3000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $18.30 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 76% |
| Banner Thunderbird Medical Center Glendale, AZ · (602) 865-4470 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 22, 2026 · source file | $18.98 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 75% |
| Banner Ironwood Medical Center Queen Creek, AZ LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 23, 2026 · source file | $20.10 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 73% |
| Banner Estrella Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (623) 327-4000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 25, 2026 · source file | $20.33 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 73% |
| Banner Ocotillo Medical Center Chandler, AZ · (480) 256-7000 LAB CULT BACT AEROBIC OTHER File of Sep 24, 2026 · source file | $25.20 | $75.00 | $33.75–$56.25 | 66% |
| Dignity Health - Arizona General Hospital Phoenix, AZ · (623) 584-5100 CULTURE WOUND File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $65.04 | $284.00 | $150.52–$232.03 | 77% |
| Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital Mesa, AZ · (480) 410-4500 CULTURE WOUND File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $70.15 | $284.00 | $150.52–$232.03 | 75% |
| Dignity Health - Arizona General Hospital Phoenix, AZ · (623) 584-5100 CULTURE GASTRIC File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $71.45 | $312.00 | $165.36–$254.91 | 77% |
| Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital Mesa, AZ · (480) 410-4500 CULTURE GASTRIC File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $77.07 | $312.00 | $165.36–$254.91 | 75% |
| Dignity Health - Arizona General Hospital Phoenix, AZ · (623) 584-5100 CULT UTERUS/PLACENTA File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $105.34 | $460.00 | $243.80–$375.82 | 77% |
| Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital Mesa, AZ · (480) 410-4500 CULT UTERUS/PLACENTA File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $113.62 | $460.00 | $243.80–$375.82 | 75% |
| St Josephs Hospital and Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (602) 406-8225 FDSAC DISACCHARIDASE ANALYSIS File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $137.52 | $360.00 | $216.00–$284.40 | 62% |
| St Josephs Hospital and Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (602) 406-8225 CULT RESPIRATORY File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $141.73 | $371.00 | $222.60–$293.09 | 62% |
| Mercy Gilbert Medical Center Gilbert, AZ · (480) 728-8000 CULT WOUND File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $178.85 | $727.00 | $392.58–$559.79 | 75% |
| Mercy Gilbert Medical Center Gilbert, AZ · (480) 728-8000 UC CULT WOUND ER File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $185.98 | $756.00 | $408.24–$582.12 | 75% |
| Chandler Regional Medical Center Chandler, AZ · (480) 728-3000 CULT WOUND File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $194.84 | $727.00 | $392.58–$610.68 | 73% |
| Chandler Regional Medical Center Chandler, AZ · (480) 728-3000 UC CULT WOUND ER File of Feb 28, 2026 · source file | $202.61 | $756.00 | $408.24–$635.04 | 73% |
| HonorHealth Florence Medical Center Florence, AZ Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth Four Peaks Medical Center Mesa, AZ · (480) 358-6100 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (602) 943-2381 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center Scottsdale, AZ · (480) 323-3000 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Med Center Scottsdale, AZ · (480) 324-7001 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (480) 882-4327 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center Tempe, AZ · (602) 251-8156 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center Phoenix, AZ · (623) 879-6100 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
| HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center Scottsdale, AZ · (480) 882-4004 Hc Culture, Bacterial; Any Other Source Except Urine/Blood/Stool File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $514.00 | $514.00 | — | — |
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
Inpatient: lowest $9.12, median $14.11, highest $514.00 — a 56.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 29 facilities here, median $14.11 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 18 of 18 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 18 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.
68 rows held back from this comparison
They are priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 87070 ($87.75). Such a line is almost always a physician's fee billed separately, an assistant's share or a placeholder — a real charge, but not the price of the procedure itself.
| Hospital | Cash price | File |
|---|---|---|
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT FLUID BODY STERILE | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC WOUND | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC TISSUE | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP UPPER | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP LOWER | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC GENITAL | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EYE | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EAR | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CSF | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CATHETER TIP | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA | $6.85 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CATHETER TIP | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT FLUID BODY STERILE | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC WOUND | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC TISSUE | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP UPPER | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP LOWER | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC GENITAL | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EYE | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EAR | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CSF | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA | $6.89 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT FLUID BODY STERILE | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CATHETER TIP | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CSF | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EAR | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EYE | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC GENITAL | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP LOWER | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP UPPER | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC TISSUE | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC WOUND | $7.64 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT FLUID BODY STERILE | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC WOUND | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC TISSUE | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP UPPER | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP LOWER | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC GENITAL | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EYE | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EAR | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CSF | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CATHETER TIP | $7.73 | file |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center Apache Junction, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA | $7.73 | file |
| Mercy Gilbert Medical Center Gilbert, AZS/O CULT BODY FLUID | $8.37 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CSF | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EYE | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC GENITAL | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP LOWER | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP UPPER | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC TISSUE | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC WOUND | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT FLUID BODY STERILE | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EAR | $8.44 | file |
| Banner Del E Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CATHETER TIP | $8.44 | file |
| Mercy Gilbert Medical Center Gilbert, AZRL-A-MC CSF 60106 | $8.49 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC BARTONELLA | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT FLUID BODY STERILE | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC WOUND | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC TISSUE | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP UPPER | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC RESP LOWER | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC GENITAL | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EYE | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC EAR | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CSF | $8.69 | file |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZLAB CULT BACT AEROBIC CATHETER TIP | $8.69 | file |
File Link to the hospital's own price file.