Ova and parasites test cost in Des Moines, IA
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for stool ova and parasites exam: from $22.40 to $59.80, with a median of $48.75. The lowest listed price is at UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical — $26.35 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $36.60 at 33 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 87177, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical lowest Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 CHG OVA AND PARASITES SMEARS | $22.40 | $28.00 | $5.34–$16.77 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical lowest Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 CHG OVA AND PARASITES SMEARS | $22.40 | $28.00 | $5.34–$16.77 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 HC OVA & PARASITES, DIR SMR W ID | $38.58 | $48.22 | $8.90–$20.88 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 HC OVA & PARASITES, DIR SMR W ID | $38.58 | $48.22 | $8.90–$20.88 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA · (515) 247-4436 HC Warde 3400652 Ova & Parasites Direct Smear Concentration and ID | $48.75 | $75.00 | $8.63–$75.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA · (515) 247-4436 HC External Ova & Parasites Direct Smear Concentration and ID | $54.60 | $84.00 | $8.63–$84.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton, IA · (641) 792-1273 HC Warde 3400652 Ova & Parasites Direct Smear Concentration and ID | $59.80 | $92.00 | $8.63–$92.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton, IA · (641) 792-1273 HC External Ova & Parasites Direct Smear Concentration and ID | $59.80 | $92.00 | $8.63–$92.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $22.40, median $48.75, highest $59.80 — a 2.7× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $48.75. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 3 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
The ova and parasites exam looks for parasites and their eggs in stool under a microscope, usually for diarrhea after travel or camping.
What the price covers
The price is usually for one sample; the collection kit is often included.