COVID-19 PCR test cost in Columbia, MO — inpatient
In Columbia, MO, 2 hospitals list a cash price for COVID-19 PCR test (SARS-CoV-2 lab test) as an inpatient: from $96.39 to $97.03, with a median of $96.71. The lowest listed price is at Curators of the University of Missouri — $0.32 less than the median here. Across Missouri, the median is $124.80 at 27 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 87635, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 22, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Dec 15, 2025 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 Columbia, MO.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curators of the University of Missouri lowest Columbia, MO · (573) 882-4141 SARS-COV-2 P28629035 | $96.39 | $160.65 | $56.23–$141.37 | 40% | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Curators of the University of Missouri lowest Columbia, MO · (573) 882-4141 SARS-COV-2 P31029035 | $96.39 | $160.65 | $56.23–$141.37 | 40% | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Curators of the University of Missouri lowest Columbia, MO · (573) 882-4141 SARS-COV-2 P86529035 | $96.39 | $160.65 | $43.70–$141.37 | 40% | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Boone Hospital Center Columbia, MO · (573) 815-8000 SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 AMP PRB | $97.03 | $161.71 | — | 40% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $96.39, median $96.71, highest $97.03.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $96.71 — 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.