Hepatitis C RNA test cost in Santa Cruz, CA
In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for hepatitis C viral load (HCV RNA) test: from $42.24 to $42.24, with a median of $42.24. Across California, the median is $87.88 at 90 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87522, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Sep 15, 2026 and Sep 15, 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville Community Hospital one side lowest Watsonville, CA · (831) 724-4741 Q11348 HCV QT RT-PCR | $42.24 | $70.40 | $29.23–$172.55 | 40% | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| Watsonville Community Hospital one side Watsonville, CA · (831) 724-4741 Q35645 HCV RNAQT RT- | $55.20 | $92.00 | $29.23–$172.55 | 40% | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| Watsonville Community Hospital Watsonville, CA · (831) 724-4741 HEPATITIS C REVRS TRNSCRPJ | $55.20 | $92.00 | $29.23–$172.55 | 40% | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $42.24, median $42.24, highest $42.24.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $42.24. 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 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.