HIV viral load test cost in Mason City, IA — inpatient
In Mason City, IA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for HIV viral load test (HIV-1 RNA, quantitative) as an inpatient: from $219.05 to $219.05, with a median of $219.05. Across Iowa, the median is $244.53 at 36 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87536, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 31, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Mason City, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center lowest Mason City, IA · (641) 428-7000 HC Mayo Infectious Agent Nucleic Acid Quantification Hiv-1 | $219.05 | $337.00 | $82.47–$337.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center lowest Mason City, IA · (641) 428-7000 HC Infectious Agent Nucleic Acid Quantification Hiv-1 | $219.05 | $337.00 | $82.47–$337.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $219.05, median $219.05, highest $219.05.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $219.05 — 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 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.