Urine culture cost in Santa Cruz, CA — inpatient
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for urine culture for bacteria, with colony count as an inpatient: from $659.07 to $659.07, with a median of $659.07. Across California, the median is $139.36 at 93 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87086, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 15, 2026 and Sep 15, 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville Community Hospital lowest Watsonville, CA · (831) 724-4741 CULT URINE-COLONY CT | $659.07 | $1,098.45 | $8.07–$1,098.45 | 40% | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| Watsonville Community Hospital lowest Watsonville, CA · (831) 724-4741 URINE CULTURE/COLONY COUNT | $659.07 | $1,098.45 | $8.07–$1,098.45 | 40% | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $659.07, median $659.07, highest $659.07.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $659.07 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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. 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.