COVID-19 PCR test cost in Louisville, KY — inpatient
In Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN, 3 hospitals list a cash price for COVID-19 PCR test (SARS-CoV-2 lab test) as an inpatient: from $26.18 to $126.60, with a median of $53.60. The lowest listed price is at Norton Clark Hospital — $27.42 less than the median here. Across Kentucky, the median is $134.69 at 15 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 3 cities for code 87635, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 11, 2026 and Jun 3, 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 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Clark Hospital lowest Jeffersonville, IN · (812) 283-2147 HB COVID-19 NON CDC | $26.18 | $187.00 | $80.45–$163.63 | 86% | Jun 3, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 (S/O) | $53.60 | $268.00 | $44.13–$247.10 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 (S/O) | $53.60 | $268.00 | $44.13–$247.10 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 (S/O) | $53.60 | $268.00 | $44.13–$247.10 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 (S/O) | $53.60 | $268.00 | $44.13–$247.10 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 (S/O) | $53.60 | $268.00 | $44.22–$227.80 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 (S/O) | $53.60 | $268.00 | $44.13–$247.10 | 80% | Feb 13, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 NON CDC | $69.80 | $349.00 | $44.13–$321.78 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 NON CDC | $69.80 | $349.00 | $51.31–$296.65 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 NON CDC | $69.80 | $349.00 | $44.13–$321.78 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 NON CDC | $69.80 | $349.00 | $44.13–$321.78 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 NON CDC | $69.80 | $349.00 | $44.13–$321.78 | 80% | Feb 13, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville, KY · (502) 629-8000 HB COVID-19 NON CDC | $69.80 | $349.00 | $44.13–$321.78 | 80% | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| St. Vincent Salem Hospital Salem, IN · (812) 883-5881 SARS-COV-2 COVID19 AMP PRB HIGHTECH | $126.60 | $211.00 | $20.52–$116.99 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Salem Hospital Salem, IN · (812) 883-5881 SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 AMP PRB | $132.60 | $221.00 | $20.52–$116.99 | 40% | — source file |
| St. Vincent Salem Hospital Salem, IN · (812) 883-5881 SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 AMP PRB VIRACOR | $430.80 | $718.00 | $20.52–$116.99 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $26.18, median $53.60, highest $126.60 — a 4.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $134.69 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 3 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 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.