Lab tests CPT 87522 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Hepatitis C RNA test cost in Cincinnati, OH — inpatient

In Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, 10 hospitals list a cash price for hepatitis C viral load (HCV RNA) test as an inpatient: from $145.35 to $571.60, with a median of $147.60. The lowest listed price is at Children's Hospital Medical Center — $2.25 less than the median here. Across Ohio, the median is $192.40 at 96 hospitals.

Cash prices at 10 facilities across 6 cities for code 87522, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Jul 1, 2026.

Lowest$145.35Children's Hospital Medical Center
Median$147.60half pay less
Highest$571.60in this market
Difference3.9×highest vs lowest

Where each hospital's price falls

Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.

median
Lowest $145.35Highest $746.00

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
Children's Hospital Medical Center lowest Cincinnati, OH · (513) 636-3333 Hb Hcv Rna Pcr Quant $145.35 $285.00 $136.80–$285.00 49% —
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Mercy Health Fairfield Hospital Fairfield, OH · (513) 870-7000 HC So Hcv Ultraquant $147.60 $246.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health Anderson Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 624-4500 HC So Hcv Ultraquant $147.60 $246.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health Clermont Hospital Batavia, OH · (513) 732-8278 HC So Hcv Ultraquant $147.60 $246.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health West Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 215-5000 HC So Hcv Ultraquant $147.60 $246.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health Kings Mills Hospital Mason, OH · (513) 637-9999 HC So Hcv Ultraquant $147.60 $246.00 — 40% —
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The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Cincinnati, OH · (513) 686-3000 HC So Hcv Ultraquant $147.60 $246.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health Clermont Hospital Batavia, OH · (513) 732-8278 HC Iadna Hepatitis C Quant & Reverse Transcription $163.20 $272.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health West Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 215-5000 HC Iadna Hepatitis C Quant & Reverse Transcription $163.20 $272.00 — 40% —
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The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Cincinnati, OH · (513) 686-3000 HC Iadna Hepatitis C Quant & Reverse Transcription $163.20 $272.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health Anderson Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 624-4500 HC Iadna Hepatitis C Quant & Reverse Transcription $163.20 $272.00 — 40% —
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Mercy Health Fairfield Hospital Fairfield, OH · (513) 870-7000 HC Iadna Hepatitis C Quant & Reverse Transcription $163.20 $272.00 — 40% —
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West Chester Hospital West Chester, OH · (513) 298-7701 Hc Hep C Quantification $409.80 $683.00 — 40% Jul 1, 2026
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University of Cincinnati Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 584-1000 Hc Hep C Quantification $409.80 $683.00 — 40% Jul 1, 2026
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Fort Hamilton Hospital Hamilton, OH · (513) 867-2123 Hc Hepatitis C Detection By Nucleic Acid (Dna Or Rna), Quantification, Lc $571.60 $1,429.00 — 60% Apr 1, 2026
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Fort Hamilton Hospital Hamilton, OH · (513) 867-2123 Hc Hepatitis C Quantification $746.00 $1,865.00 — 60% Apr 1, 2026
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Inpatient: lowest $145.35, median $147.60, highest $571.60 — a 3.9× difference within the same market.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 13 facilities here, median $147.60 — 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

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.