C. diff test cost in Lancaster, PA — inpatient
In Lancaster, PA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for C. difficile toxin gene test (stool PCR) as an inpatient: from $70.16 to $207.60, with a median of $154.40. The lowest listed price is at Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center — $84.24 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $207.60 at 63 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 87493, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Lancaster, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center lowest Lancaster, PA · (223) 287-9000 87493 C DIFF AMPLIFIED PROBE Tech | $70.16 | $242.00 | $31.68–$193.60 | 71% | — source file |
| Ephrata Community Hospital Ephrata, PA · (717) 733-0311 Detect for Clostridium Difficile, Amplified Probe | $154.40 | $193.00 | $123.17–$154.40 | 20% | — source file |
| UPMC Lititz Lititz, PA · (717) 625-2000 HC C.DIFFICILE TOXIN ASSAY BY PCR | $207.60 | $346.00 | $128.37–$294.10 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Lititz Lititz, PA · (717) 625-2000 HC C DIFF TOXIN B QUAL PCR | $207.60 | $346.00 | $128.37–$294.10 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $70.16, median $154.40, highest $207.60 — a 3.0× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $154.40 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
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
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.