C. diff test cost in Columbia, MO — inpatient
In Columbia, MO, 2 hospitals list a cash price for C. difficile toxin gene test (stool PCR) as an inpatient: from $96.00 to $203.52, with a median of $149.76. The lowest listed price is at Boone Hospital Center — $53.76 less than the median here. Across Missouri, the median is $157.95 at 27 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 87493, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Dec 15, 2025 and Apr 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 Columbia, MO.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone Hospital Center lowest Columbia, MO · (573) 815-8000 CDIFFICILE AMP NA PROBE | $96.00 | $160.00 | — | 40% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Curators of the University of Missouri Columbia, MO · (573) 882-4141 C DIFF AMPLIFIED PROBE P31022095 | $203.52 | $339.20 | $92.26–$298.50 | 40% | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Curators of the University of Missouri Columbia, MO · (573) 882-4141 C DIFF AMPLIFIED PROBE P86522095 | $203.52 | $339.20 | $92.26–$298.50 | 40% | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $96.00, median $149.76, highest $203.52 — a 2.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $149.76 — 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
This stool test looks for the toxin gene of Clostridioides difficile, a cause of severe diarrhea, often after antibiotics or a hospital stay.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the stool test; the collection kit is often included.