Lab tests CPT 87070 Outpatient

Bacterial culture (wound) cost in San Diego, CA

In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 12 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid): from $22.36 to $150.80, with a median of $118.50. The lowest listed price is at Tri-City Medical Center — $96.14 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $133.00 at 193 hospitals.

Cash prices at 12 facilities across 8 cities for code 87070, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and May 29, 2026.

Lowest$22.36Tri-City Medical Center
Median$118.50half pay less
Highest$150.80in this market
Difference6.7×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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.

median
Lowest $22.36Highest $383.16

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
Tri-City Medical Center lowest Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Wound Culture and Gram Stain MB ARUP $22.36 $37.26 $7.54–$29.40 40% May 29, 2026
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UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Sterility Culture Testing $34.10 $62.00 $7.44–$83.70 45% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Scripps Nicu-Culture,Bacterial Screen $35.25 $47.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Bacterial Culture $37.95 $69.00 $8.28–$93.15 45% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Scripps Nicu-Culturecsf $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Scripps Nicu-Catheter Tip Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Cv-Catheter Tip Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Cv-Respiratory Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scren-Culture Csf $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrlj-Respiratory Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrlj-Wound Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Scripps Nicu-Respiratory Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Hc-Respiratory Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Hc-Culturecsf $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scren-Respiratory Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrlj-Throat/Nose Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Cv-Culturecsf $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Hc-Catheter Tip Culture $56.25 $75.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Cv-Wound Culture $57.00 $76.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scrmer Hc-Wound Culture $57.00 $76.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Scren-Wound Culture $57.00 $76.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Scripps Nicu-Wound Culture $57.00 $76.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Tissue with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Throat $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Sputum $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture CSF with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Genital $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Body Fluid with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Tissue with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Wound Aerobic Only $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Wound Aer/Ana with Gram Sta $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Catheter Tip $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Catheter Tip $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Eye with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Eye with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Throat $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Sputum $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture CSF with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Genital $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Body Fluid with Gram Stain $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Wound Aerobic Only $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Wound Aer/Ana with Gram Sta $65.34 $108.90 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Pph - Culture Wound Aer/Ana With Gram Stain $71.25 $95.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Culture Routine $85.50 $114.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC CULTURE ROUTINE $118.50 $158.00 $1.10–$129.56 25% —
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Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC CULTURE ROUTINE $118.50 $158.00 $1.00–$142.20 25% —
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Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC CULTURE ROUTINE $118.50 $158.00 $1.15–$725.00 25% —
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Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC CULTURE ROUTINE $118.50 $158.00 $9.99–$118.50 25% —
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Bronchial $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Cath Tip $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Bone Marrow $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Throat $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Culture, Tissue $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Nose Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Brain Abcess Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Placenta Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Gallbladder/Bile Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Sinus Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Legionella $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Gc $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Eye $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Ear $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Vagina $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Culture Wound $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Exudate Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Drainage Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cornea Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Lung Aspirate Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Plerual Fluid Culture $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Wound 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Vagina 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Sputum 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Respiratory 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Pertussis 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Other 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Legionella 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Genital 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Gc 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Eye 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Environment 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Ear 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Csf 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Bronchial 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Body Fluid 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Abscess 306 $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Pertussis $126.00 $168.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rsp Cult Pre Id Csf $126.75 $169.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Ear with Gram Stain $130.69 $217.82 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Environmental $130.69 $217.82 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Poway Poway, CA · (858) 485-6511 Culture Nasal $130.69 $217.82 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Nasal $130.69 $217.82 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Ear with Gram Stain $130.69 $217.82 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Palomar Medical Center Escondido Escondido, CA Culture Environmental $130.69 $217.82 — 40% Apr 1, 2026
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Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL $150.80 $290.00 $7.00–$20.00 48% —
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Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL $150.80 $290.00 $7.00–$20.00 48% —
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Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL $150.80 $290.00 $7.00–$20.00 48% —
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Respiratory Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Medical Device Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Genital Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Legionella Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Cerebrospinal Fluid Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Sputum Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Wound Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Tissue Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Throat Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Catheter Tip Culture $206.17 $343.62 $7.54–$271.12 40% May 29, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Lab-Environmental Culture $232.50 $310.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Lab-Csf Culture $260.25 $347.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Culture,Routine $317.25 $423.00 — 25% Apr 1, 2026
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Tri-City Medical Center Oceanside, CA · (760) 724-8411 Surgical Culture $383.16 $638.60 $7.54–$503.86 40% May 29, 2026
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Outpatient: lowest $22.36, median $118.50, highest $150.80 — a 6.7× difference within the same market.

As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $118.50. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.

Cash or insurance?

At 5 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 none is it 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.

19 rows held back from this comparison

They are priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 87070 ($92.00). 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.

Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CAAEROBIC ORG. IDENTIFICATION LC $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CAAEROBIC BACT CULTURE LC008649 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CAAEROBIC/ANAEROBIC CULTURE LC $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CAAEROBIC CULTURE LC $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CABODY FL CULT AER/ANA LC183473 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CABLODD CULT, LC008003 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CABody Fluid Culture,LC180802 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CACULT OTHER $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CACULT WOUND $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CACULT BACT AEROBIC LC183476 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CACULT GENITAL $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CACULT RESPIRATORY $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CAGENITAL CULTURE LC008334 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CALEGIONELLA SPEC CULT LC086868 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CALEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CALOWER RESP CULTURE LC180815 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CAPERTUSSIS CULTURE LC $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CASPUTUM CULTURE LC182354 $8.00 file
Paradise Valley Hospital National City, CAUPPER RESP. CULTURE LC008342 $8.00 file