HIV viral load test cost in Lexington, KY
In Lexington-Fayette, KY, 2 hospitals list a cash price for HIV viral load test (HIV-1 RNA, quantitative): from $122.41 to $1,070.93, with a median of $596.67. The lowest listed price is at University of Kentucky Hospital — $474.26 less than the median here. Across Kentucky, the median is $690.96 at 15 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 87536, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 17, 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 Lexington-Fayette, KY.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky Hospital lowest Lexington, KY · (859) 257-2278 Hc 164 Hiv-1 Qnt Pcr-So+ | $122.41 | $306.02 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| University of Kentucky Hospital Lexington, KY · (859) 257-2278 Hc Hiv-1 Quant&Revrse Trnscrpj - Hiv 1 Rna Quant By Pcr | $345.46 | $863.66 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Lexington Lexington, KY · (859) 260-6100 Detection test by nucleic acid for HIV-1 virus, quantification | $1,070.93 | $1,427.90 | $72.31–$2,902.92 | 25% | Sep 17, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $122.41, median $596.67, highest $1,070.93 — a 8.7× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $122.41. 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 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.