HIV viral load test cost in Minneapolis, MN
In Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, 22 hospitals list a cash price for HIV viral load test (HIV-1 RNA, quantitative): from $37.44 to $469.70, with a median of $94.86. The lowest listed price is at Regions Hospital — $57.42 less than the median here. Across Minnesota, the median is $114.91 at 69 hospitals.
- The median here, $94.86, is 66% below the US median of $276.38.
- That is 1.1× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($85.10).
- Minneapolis, MN ranks 2nd of 2 metro areas in Minnesota by median, cheapest first.
- Every hospital here lists a cash price below its full list price.
Cash prices at 22 facilities across 19 cities for code 87536, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Oct 25, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 29, 2026 and Sep 25, 2026.
Lowest$37.44Regions Hospital
Median$94.86half of hospitals charge less
Highest$469.70in this market
Difference12.5×highest vs lowest
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
median
Lowest $37.44Highest $469.70
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regions Hospital lowest St. Paul, MN · (651) 254-1616 Microbiology File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $37.44 | $144.00 | $83.17–$177.61 | 74% |
| Regions Hospital St. Paul, MN · (651) 254-1616 Hiv-1 Rna Quant File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $40.56 | $156.00 | $83.17–$177.61 | 74% |
| Fairview Bethesda Hospital St. Paul, MN HC HIV-1 RNA QUANT File of Jan 29, 2026 · source file | $50.53 | $126.00 | $31.12–$192.43 | 60% |
| M Health Fairview St. John's Hospital Maplewood, MN · (651) 232-7000 HC HIV-1 RNA QUANT File of Feb 5, 2026 · source file | $51.99 | $129.64 | $21.29–$748.55 | 60% |
| M Health Fairview Woodwinds Hospital Woodbury, MN · (651) 232-2185 HC HIV-1 RNA QUANT File of Feb 5, 2026 · source file | $51.99 | $129.64 | $21.29–$748.55 | 60% |
| Fairview Northland Regional Hospital Princeton, MN · (952) 892-2101 HC HIV-1 RNA QUANT File of Jan 29, 2026 · source file | $51.99 | $129.64 | $21.29–$748.55 | 60% |
| M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital Edina, MN · (952) 924-5000 HC HIV-1 RNA QUANT File of Feb 6, 2026 · source file | $51.99 | $129.64 | $21.29–$748.55 | 60% |
| Fairview Lakes Health Services Wyoming, MN · (952) 892-2101 HC HIV-1 RNA QUANT File of Feb 5, 2026 · source file | $51.99 | $129.64 | $21.29–$748.55 | 60% |
| M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center Minneapolis, MN · (612) 624-1765 Outpatient Services+1 more line at this price File of Feb 6, 2026 · source file | $52.13 | $130.00 | $21.29–$748.55 | 60% |
| M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital Burnsville, MN · (952) 892-2000 HC HIV-1 RNA QUANT File of Feb 6, 2026 · source file | $55.25 | $130.00 | $21.29–$748.55 | 58% |
| Lakeview Hospital Stillwater, MN · (651) 430-4509 Hiv-1 Rna Quant File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $74.74 | $202.00 | $2.60–$337.58 | 63% |
| North Memorial Health Care Robbinsdale, MN · (763) 520-5200 Detection test by nucleic acid for HIV-1 virus, quantification+1 more line at this price File of Sep 25, 2026 · source file | $94.86 | $180.00 | $21.92–$332.58 | 47% |
| Maple Grove Hospital Maple Grove, MN · (763) 581-1000 Detection test by nucleic acid for HIV-1 virus, quantification+1 more line at this price File of Apr 30, 2026 · source file | $94.86 | $180.00 | $21.92–$153.18 | 47% |
| Allina United Hospital St. Paul, MN · (651) 241-8000 HCHG HIV-1 RNA QUANTITATIVE PCR QUEST File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $98.50 | $205.20 | $16.78–$227.69 | 52% |
| Mercy Hospital Coon Rapids, MN · (762) 236-6000 HCHG HIV-1 RNA QUANTITATIVE PCR QUEST File of Jun 17, 2026 · source file | $98.50 | $205.20 | $16.78–$227.69 | 52% |
| Abbott Northwestern Hospital Minneapolis, MN · (612) 863-4000 HCHG HIV-1 RNA QUANTITATIVE PCR QUEST File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $98.50 | $205.20 | $16.78–$227.69 | 52% |
| Buffalo Hospital Buffalo, MN · (763) 682-1212 HCHG HIV-1 RNA QUANTITATIVE PCR QUEST File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $114.91 | $205.20 | $20.71–$227.69 | 44% |
| River Falls Area Hospital River Falls, WI · (715) 307-6000 HCHG HIV-1 RNA QUANTITATIVE PCR QUEST File of Jun 15, 2026 · source file | $114.91 | $205.20 | $26.50–$205.20 | 44% |
| Cambridge Medical Center Cambridge, MN · (763) 689-7700 HCHG HIV-1 RNA QUANTITATIVE PCR QUEST File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $114.91 | $205.20 | $20.71–$227.69 | 44% |
| Hudson Hospital Hudson, WI · (715) 531-6000 Hiv-1 Rna Quant File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $123.60 | $274.00 | $58.14–$336.00 | 55% |
| Hudson Hospital Hudson, WI · (715) 531-6000 Microbiology File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $129.47 | $287.00 | $60.90–$336.00 | 55% |
| Allina United Hospital St. Paul, MN · (651) 241-8000 HCHG GENERAL LAB 87536 LCC+1 more line at this price File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $139.01 | $289.60 | $16.78–$289.60 | 52% |
| Abbott Northwestern Hospital Minneapolis, MN · (612) 863-4000 HCHG GENERAL LAB 87536 LCC+1 more line at this price File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $139.01 | $289.60 | $16.78–$286.19 | 52% |
| Mercy Hospital Coon Rapids, MN · (762) 236-6000 HCHG GENERAL LAB 8753603+1 more line at this price File of Jun 17, 2026 · source file | $139.01 | $289.60 | $16.78–$286.19 | 52% |
| Buffalo Hospital Buffalo, MN · (763) 682-1212 HCHG GENERAL LAB 87536 LCC+1 more line at this price File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $158.76 | $283.50 | $20.71–$286.19 | 44% |
| Cambridge Medical Center Cambridge, MN · (763) 689-7700 HCHG GENERAL LAB 8753603+1 more line at this price File of Jun 16, 2026 · source file | $158.76 | $283.50 | $20.71–$286.19 | 44% |
| River Falls Area Hospital River Falls, WI · (715) 307-6000 HCHG GENERAL LAB 8753603+1 more line at this price File of Jun 15, 2026 · source file | $158.76 | $283.50 | $26.50–$283.50 | 44% |
| Methodist Hospital St. Louis Park, MN · (952) 993-5000 Hiv-1 Rna Quant File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $163.02 | $627.00 | $77.05–$470.25 | 74% |
| Methodist Hospital St. Louis Park, MN · (952) 993-5000 Microbiology File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $167.70 | $645.00 | $77.05–$483.75 | 74% |
| Lakeview Hospital Stillwater, MN · (651) 430-4509 Microbiology File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $183.89 | $497.00 | $2.60–$447.30 | 63% |
| Westfields Hospital New Richmond, WI · (715) 246-2101 Microbiology+1 more line at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $197.78 | $376.00 | $72.34–$376.00 | 47% |
| Mille Lacs Health System Onamia, MN · (320) 532-3154 HIV 1 RNA QN PCR<400+1 more line at this price File of Aug 13, 2026 · source file | $469.70 | $671.00 | $268.40–$1,342.00 | 30% |
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
Insurers pay The lowest and highest rates this hospital has agreed with insurance plans for the same item, from its price file. If the cash price is below what your plan pays and you have not met your deductible, paying cash can cost you less. More
Off list How much lower the cash price is than the list price.
Outpatient: lowest $37.44, median $94.86, highest $469.70 — a 12.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 22 facilities here, median $94.86. 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 21 of 21 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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 HIV viral load test is, what the price covers and why prices differ: HIV viral load test explained.