Lab tests CPT 87070 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Tampa, FL — inpatient

In Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, 19 hospitals list a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) as an inpatient: from $16.20 to $503.50, with a median of $92.23. The lowest listed price is at South Florida Baptist Hospital and 8 other hospitals — $76.03 less than the median here. Across Florida, the median is $90.00 at 151 hospitals.

Cash prices at 19 facilities across 13 cities for code 87070, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2026 and Jul 10, 2026.

Lowest$16.20South Florida Baptist Hospital + 8 more
Median$92.23half of hospitals charge less
Highest$503.50in this market
Difference31.1×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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.

median
Lowest $16.20Highest $503.50

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash priceList priceInsurers payOff list
South Florida Baptist Hospital lowest Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 CULTURE SHOULDER+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital lowest New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 CULTURE CSF+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
Morton Plant Hospital lowest Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 CULTURE CSF+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
St Anthony's Hospital lowest St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 CULTURE SHOULDER+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
BayCare Alliant Hospital lowest Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE SHOULDER+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $17.55–$27.00 40%
Mease Countryside Hospital lowest Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 CULTURE TISSUE+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel lowest Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 CULTURE CSF+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
St. Joseph's Hospital lowest Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 CULTURE CSF+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
Mease Dunedin Hospital lowest Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE SHOULDER+2 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $16.20 $27.00 $15.20–$27.00 40%
Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
Mease Countryside Hospital Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
Mease Dunedin Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
St Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $22.52–$40.00 40%
BayCare Alliant Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 LEGIONELLA SPECIES CULTURE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $24.00 $40.00 $26.00–$40.00 40%
Mease Countryside Hospital Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
BayCare Alliant Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $27.30–$42.00 40%
St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
St Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
Mease Dunedin Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 CULTURE ENVIRONMENTAL File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.20 $42.00 $23.65–$42.00 40%
South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 CULTURE EYE+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
Mease Dunedin Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE BRONCHIAL+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 CULTURE EYE+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 CULTURE EAR+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
St Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 CULTURE BRONCHIAL+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 CULTURE EYE+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 CULTURE CATHETER+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
Mease Countryside Hospital Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 CULTURE CATHETER+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $24.21–$43.00 40%
BayCare Alliant Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE EAR+4 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $25.80 $43.00 $27.95–$43.00 40%
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
St Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
BayCare Alliant Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $28.60–$44.00 40%
Mease Dunedin Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
Mease Countryside Hospital Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 CULTURE BODY FLUID File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $26.40 $44.00 $24.77–$44.00 40%
St Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 CULTURE THROAT/NASAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 CULTURE THROAT/NASAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
Mease Countryside Hospital Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 CULTURE GENITAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 CULTURE GENITAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 CULTURE THROAT/NASAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
Mease Dunedin Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE GENITAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
BayCare Alliant Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 CULTURE THROAT/NASAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $37.70–$58.00 40%
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 CULTURE GENITAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 CULTURE GENITAL+3 more lines at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $34.80 $58.00 $32.65–$58.00 40%
Mease Countryside Hospital Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
BayCare Alliant Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $80.60–$124.00 40%
St Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
Mease Dunedin Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 C SINUS OTHER CULT DEFINITIVE File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file $74.40 $124.00 $69.81–$124.00 40%
AdventHealth North Pinellas Tarpon Springs, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC THROAT CULTURE COMPREHENSIVE+6 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $92.23 $92.23 — —
AdventHealth Carrollwood Tampa, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC SURGICAL CULTURE+28 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $133.05 $133.05 — —
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 929-5000 HC THROAT CULTURE COMPREHENSIVE+8 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $133.05 $133.05 — —
AdventHealth Tampa Tampa, FL · (813) 615-7200 HC HELICOBACTER PYLORI CULTURE+13 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $133.05 $133.05 — —
AdventHealth Riverview Riverview, FL · (813) 929-5962 HC HELICOBACTER PYLORI CULTURE+13 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $133.05 $133.05 — —
AdventHealth Zephyrhills Zephyrhills, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC HELICOBACTER PYLORI CULTURE+6 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $133.05 $133.05 — —
AdventHealth Dade City Dade City, FL · (352) 568-1100 HC CATH TIP CULTURE+6 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $137.92 $137.92 — —
AdventHealth Connerton Land O Lakes, FL HC HELICOBACTER PYLORI CULTURE+7 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $172.10 $172.10 — —
Tampa General Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 844-7000 Hb Resp Lung Transplant Cult+11 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $209.30 $598.00 — 65%
AdventHealth North Pinellas Tarpon Springs, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC MICROBIOLOGY - CULTURE AEROBIC File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $227.81 $227.81 — —
AdventHealth Connerton Land O Lakes, FL HC MICROBIOLOGY - CULTURE AEROBIC File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $260.83 $260.83 — —
AdventHealth Carrollwood Tampa, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC BONE MARROW CULTURE+2 more lines at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $270.31 $270.31 — —
AdventHealth Zephyrhills Zephyrhills, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC MICROBIOLOGY - CULTURE AEROBIC File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $270.31 $270.31 — —
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 929-5000 HC MICROBIOLOGY - CULTURE AEROBIC File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $270.31 $270.31 — —
AdventHealth Riverview Riverview, FL · (813) 929-5962 HC MICROBIOLOGY - CULTURE AEROBIC File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $270.31 $270.31 — —
AdventHealth Tampa Tampa, FL · (813) 615-7200 HC MICROBIOLOGY - CULTURE AEROBIC File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $270.31 $270.31 — —
AdventHealth Dade City Dade City, FL · (352) 568-1100 HC MICROBIOLOGY - CULTURE AEROBIC File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file $400.56 $400.56 — —
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute Hospital Tampa, FL CULTURE OTHR SPECIMN AEROBIC; RESPIRATORY+13 more lines at this price File of Jul 10, 2026 · source file $503.50 $1,007.00 $453.15–$805.60 50%
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 $16.20, median $92.23, highest $503.50 — a 31.1× difference within the same market.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 31 facilities here, median $92.23 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

Cash or insurance?

At 10 of 10 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.

14 rows held back from this comparison

They are priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 87070 ($87.04). 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.

HospitalCash priceFile
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FLHb Csf Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FLHb Culture Aerobic $7.20 file
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FLHb Genital Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FLHb Lower Resp Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FLHb Upper Resp Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FLHb Environmental Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FLHb Upper Resp Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FLHb Environmental Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FLHb Csf Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FLHb Culture Aerobic $7.20 file
Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FLHb Genital Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FLHb Lower Resp Culture $7.20 file
Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FLHb Culture Id-Ref $8.40 file
Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FLHb Culture Id-Ref $8.40 file
File Link to the hospital's own price file.