Urine culture cost in Buffalo, NY — inpatient
In Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, 4 hospitals list a cash price for urine culture for bacteria, with colony count as an inpatient: from $8.07 to $34.38, with a median of $8.07. The lowest listed price is at Sisters of Charity Hospital and 2 other hospitals. Across New York, the median is $38.00 at 57 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 2 cities for code 87086, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Aug 25, 2026 and Aug 25, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sisters of Charity Hospital lowest Buffalo, NY · (716) 862-1000 HC Urine Culture/Colony Count | $8.07 | $22.00 | $3.39–$22.00 | 63% | — source file |
| Mount St. Mary's Hospital lowest Lewiston, NY · (716) 297-4800 HC Urine Culture/Colony Count | $8.07 | $22.00 | $3.39–$22.00 | 63% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital of Buffalo lowest Buffalo, NY · (716) 826-7000 HC Urine Culture/Colony Count | $8.07 | $22.00 | $3.39–$22.00 | 63% | — source file |
| Sisters of Charity Hospital Buffalo, NY · (716) 862-1000 Culture Bacterial Quanttative Colony Count Urine | $11.00 | $11.00 | $3.39–$22.00 | — | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital of Buffalo Buffalo, NY · (716) 826-7000 Culture Bacterial Quanttative Colony Count Urine | $11.00 | $11.00 | $3.39–$22.00 | — | — source file |
| Mount St. Mary's Hospital Lewiston, NY · (716) 297-4800 Culture Bacterial Quanttative Colony Count Urine | $11.00 | $11.00 | $3.39–$22.00 | — | — source file |
| Mount St. Mary's Hospital Lewiston, NY · (716) 297-4800 Culture Bacterial Quanttative Colony Count Urine | $11.00 | $11.00 | $3.39–$22.00 | — | — source file |
| Erie County Medical Center Buffalo, NY · (716) 898-3936 URINE CULTURE COLONY COUNT | $34.38 | $80.89 | $6.05–$72.80 | 57% | Aug 25, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $8.07, median $8.07, highest $34.38 — a 4.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $8.07 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 4 of 4 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 urine culture grows bacteria from a urine sample in the lab and counts how many colonies appear. It is used to confirm a urinary tract infection, especially when symptoms return or first treatment does not work.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the culture and colony count. If bacteria grow, identifying them and testing which antibiotics work are separate codes with their own charges.