Urine culture cost in New Orleans, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for urine culture for bacteria, with colony count: from $18.92 to $87.78, with a median of $44.73. The lowest listed price is at University Med Center — $25.81 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $44.73 at 12 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 3 cities for code 87086, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jun 24, 2026 and Jul 1, 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Med Center lowest New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $18.92 | $86.00 | $10.47–$9.29 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 592-6600 Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $31.68 | $198.00 | $10.49–$9.93 | 84% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $32.06 | $229.00 | $10.52–$91.60 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $36.00 | $225.00 | $106.65–$9.91 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $53.46 | $198.00 | $126.32–$96.80 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $87.78 | $627.00 | $12.02–$9.91 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA Ej Ref Lab Urine Culture/Colony Count | $87.78 | $627.00 | $12.02–$9.91 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $87.78 | $627.00 | $12.02–$9.91 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA Ej Ref Lab Urine Culture/Colony Count | $87.78 | $627.00 | $12.02–$9.91 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA Bacterial Colony Count Urine | $87.78 | $627.00 | $12.02–$9.91 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Ej Ref Lab Urine Culture/Colony Count | $87.78 | $627.00 | $12.02–$9.91 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Ej Ref Lab Urine Culture/Colony Count | $100.32 | $627.00 | $11.65–$9.91 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $18.92, median $44.73, highest $87.78 — a 4.6× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 8 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 2 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 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.