Hepatitis C RNA test cost in New Orleans, LA — inpatient
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 6 hospitals list a cash price for hepatitis C viral load (HCV RNA) test as an inpatient: from $69.30 to $317.52, with a median of $87.66. The lowest listed price is at Ochsner Clinic Foundation — $18.36 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $111.39 at 55 hospitals.
Cash prices at 6 facilities across 5 cities for code 87522, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation lowest New Orleans, LA · (504) 842-3000 HC HCV QUANTITATION BY PCR+2 more lines at this price source file | $69.30 | $315.00 | — | 78% |
| St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette, LA · (504) 826-9500 HC HCV RNA ULTRAQUANT BY PCR source file | $75.20 | $235.00 | — | 68% |
| St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette, LA · (504) 826-9500 HC HCV QUANTITATION BY BDNA source file | $77.12 | $241.00 | — | 68% |
| St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette, LA · (504) 826-9500 HC HCV QUANTITATION BY PCR source file | $80.64 | $252.00 | — | 68% |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 HC HCV QUANTITATION BY BDNA source file | $82.08 | $304.00 | — | 73% |
| The Ochsner West Campus Extended Care Hospital Jefferson, LA HC HCV QUANTITATION BY PCR source file | $93.24 | $252.00 | — | 63% |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 HC HCV QUANTITATION BY PCR source file | $146.34 | $542.00 | — | 73% |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 HC HCV RNA ULTRAQUANT BY PCR source file | $165.24 | $612.00 | — | 73% |
| St Charles Surgical Hospital one side New Orleans, LA · (504) 529-6600 HCV RNA RT QUANT (HCPQ)+1 more line at this price source file | $289.89 | $822.00 | $41.98–$376.48 | 65% |
| Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner Kenner, LA · (504) 464-8065 HC HCV QUANTITATION BY BDNA+2 more lines at this price source file | $317.52 | $1,134.00 | — | 72% |
Inpatient: lowest $69.30, median $87.66, highest $317.52 — a 4.6× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $98.35 — 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.