Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Nome, AK
In Nome, AK, 1 hospital lists a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid): from $123.50 to $123.50, with a median of $123.50. Across Alaska, the median is $144.65 at 16 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87070, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 19, 2026 and Feb 19, 2026.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Sound Health Nome, AK · (907) 443-3311 Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic File of Feb 19, 2026 · source file | $123.50 | $247.00 | $219.09 | 50% |
Outpatient: lowest $123.50, median $123.50, highest $123.50.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated and 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.