HIV viral load test cost in Albuquerque, NM — inpatient
In Albuquerque, NM, 4 hospitals list a cash price for HIV viral load test (HIV-1 RNA, quantitative) as an inpatient: from $326.10 to $348.30, with a median of $332.40. The lowest listed price is at Lovelace Medical Center — $6.30 less than the median here. Across New Mexico, the median is $332.40 at 17 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities for code 87536, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 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 Albuquerque, NM.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovelace Medical Center lowest Albuquerque, NM · (505) 727-8000 Detection test by nucleic acid for HIV-1 virus, quantification | $326.10 | $1,087.00 | $84.16–$978.30 | 70% | — source file |
| Lovelace Westside Hospital Albuquerque, NM · (505) 727-2001 Detection test by nucleic acid for HIV-1 virus, quantification | $332.40 | $1,108.00 | $84.16–$997.20 | 70% | — source file |
| Lovelace Womens Hospital Albuquerque, NM Detection test by nucleic acid for HIV-1 virus, quantification | $332.40 | $1,108.00 | $84.16–$1,030.44 | 70% | — source file |
| Lovelace UNM Rehabilition Hospital Albuquerque, NM Detection test by nucleic acid for HIV-1 virus, quantification | $348.30 | $1,161.00 | $56.73–$1,079.73 | 70% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $326.10, median $332.40, highest $348.30 — a 1.1× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 6 facilities here, median $332.40 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 4 of 4 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 HIV viral load test measures how much virus is in the blood. It shows how well treatment is working.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.