Hepatitis C RNA test cost in Carlsbad, NM
In Carlsbad-Artesia, NM, 2 hospitals list a cash price for hepatitis C viral load (HCV RNA) test: from $22.70 to $296.40, with a median of $159.55. The lowest listed price is at Carlsbad Medical Center — $136.85 less than the median here. Across New Mexico, the median is $177.50 at 11 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 87522, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 20, 2026 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 Carlsbad-Artesia, NM.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad Medical Center lowest Carlsbad, NM · (575) 887-4570 HEPATITIS C,RNA,QUAN | $22.70 | $227.00 | $22.70–$211.11 | 90% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 hcv rna qnt pcr reflex ns5b REF550349 | $296.40 | $494.00 | $36.41–$469.30 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 hepatitis c virus quant rna pcrREF551300 | $577.80 | $963.00 | $36.41–$914.85 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $22.70, median $159.55, highest $296.40 — a 13.1× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $170.90. 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 2 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 HCV RNA test measures the hepatitis C virus in the blood. It confirms an active infection after a positive antibody test (86803) and shows whether treatment has cured it.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.