COVID-19 PCR test cost in Cincinnati, OH — inpatient
In Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, 8 hospitals list a cash price for COVID-19 PCR test (SARS-CoV-2 lab test) as an inpatient: from $41.20 to $99.60, with a median of $99.60. The lowest listed price is at Fort Hamilton Hospital — $58.40 less than the median here. Across Ohio, the median is $141.00 at 96 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 5 cities for code 87635, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Hamilton Hospital lowest Hamilton, OH · (513) 867-2123 Hc Iadna Sars Covid 19 Amplified Probe | $41.20 | $103.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 636-3333 Hb Covid-19 Detection, Amplified Probe Technique | $78.03 | $153.00 | $73.44–$153.00 | 49% | — source file |
| Fort Hamilton Hospital Hamilton, OH · (513) 867-2123 Hc Infectious Agent Detection By Nucleic Acid (Dna Or Rna), Sars-Cov-2, Amplified Probe Tech, Diathe | $82.40 | $206.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Fort Hamilton Hospital Hamilton, OH · (513) 867-2123 Hc Infectious Agent Detection By Nucleic Acid (Dna Or Rna), Sars-Cov-2, Amplified Probe Tech | $82.40 | $206.00 | — | 60% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Health Clermont Hospital Batavia, OH · (513) 732-8278 HC Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $99.60 | $166.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health West Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 215-5000 HC Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $99.60 | $166.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Cincinnati, OH · (513) 686-3000 HC Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $99.60 | $166.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Anderson Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 624-4500 HC Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $99.60 | $166.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Fairfield Hospital Fairfield, OH · (513) 870-7000 HC Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $99.60 | $166.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Kings Mills Hospital Mason, OH · (513) 637-9999 HC Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $99.60 | $166.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Cincinnati, OH · (513) 686-3000 HC So Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $106.20 | $177.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Kings Mills Hospital Mason, OH · (513) 637-9999 HC So Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $106.20 | $177.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Anderson Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 624-4500 HC So Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $106.20 | $177.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Clermont Hospital Batavia, OH · (513) 732-8278 HC So Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $106.20 | $177.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Fairfield Hospital Fairfield, OH · (513) 870-7000 HC So Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $106.20 | $177.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health West Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 215-5000 HC So Iadna Sars-Cov-2-19 Amp Probe Tq | $106.20 | $177.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $41.20, median $99.60, highest $99.60 — a 2.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $99.60 — 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
This is the lab (PCR or similar amplification) test for the virus that causes COVID-19. It is more sensitive than a rapid antigen test and is often required before some procedures or travel.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test on a swab sample; the collection may be billed separately.