COVID-19 PCR test cost in St. Louis, MO — inpatient
In St. Louis, MO-IL, 8 hospitals list a cash price for COVID-19 PCR test (SARS-CoV-2 lab test) as an inpatient: from $22.00 to $161.63, with a median of $68.19. The lowest listed price is at Ranken Jordan Home for Convalescent Crippled Children Hospital — $46.19 less than the median here. Across Missouri, the median is $124.80 at 27 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 8 cities for code 87635, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 16, 2026 and Apr 24, 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 St. Louis, MO-IL.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranken Jordan Home for Convalescent Crippled Children Hospital lowest Maryland Heights, MO · (314) 872-6400 POC Rapid Nasal COVID Test | $22.00 | $27.50 | — | 20% | Apr 24, 2026 source file |
| St Josephs Hospital Hospital Sisters Third Order of St Francis Breese, IL · (618) 526-4511 HC COVID-19 LAB TEST - 2 DAY COMPLETION | $64.80 | $90.00 | $25.20–$128.28 | 28% | — source file |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 HC COVID-19 LAB TEST - 2 DAY COMPLETION | $64.80 | $90.00 | $25.20–$128.28 | 28% | — source file |
| Gateway Regional Medical Center Granite City, IL · (618) 798-3000 COVID19 PRB | $67.98 | $113.30 | $113.30 | 40% | — source file |
| St Josephs Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis Highland, IL · (618) 651-2600 HC COVID-19 LAB TEST - 2 DAY COMPLETION | $68.40 | $95.00 | $19.00–$95.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Elizabeths Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis O'Fallon, IL HC COVID-19 LAB TEST - 2 DAY COMPLETION | $72.00 | $100.00 | $28.00–$128.28 | 28% | — source file |
| Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital St. Louis Chesterfield, MO COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS | $103.00 | $103.00 | $103.00 | — | Mar 16, 2026 source file |
| St Josephs Hospital Hospital Sisters Third Order of St Francis Breese, IL · (618) 526-4511 HC SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 TEST | $142.56 | $198.00 | $30.13–$198.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Josephs Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis Highland, IL · (618) 651-2600 HC SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 TEST | $144.00 | $200.00 | $40.00–$200.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital St. Louis Chesterfield, MO SARS-COV-2 NAA UNIT PERFORMED | $151.41 | $151.41 | $151.41 | — | Mar 16, 2026 source file |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 HC SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 TEST | $156.24 | $217.00 | $31.63–$217.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital South Louis, MO SARS-COV-2 NAA UNIT PERFORMED | $161.63 | $161.63 | $161.63 | — | Mar 16, 2026 source file |
| St Elizabeths Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis O'Fallon, IL HC SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 TEST | $165.60 | $230.00 | $30.13–$230.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital South Louis, MO COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS | $177.79 | $177.79 | $177.79 | — | Mar 16, 2026 source file |
| St Josephs Hospital Hospital Sisters Third Order of St Francis Breese, IL · (618) 526-4511 HC COVID-19 LAB TEST | $288.00 | $400.00 | $30.13–$400.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Josephs Hospital Hospital Sisters Third Order of St Francis Breese, IL · (618) 526-4511 SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 AMP PRB | $331.92 | $461.00 | $30.13–$461.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 HC COVID-19 LAB TEST | $342.00 | $475.00 | $31.63–$475.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Josephs Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis Highland, IL · (618) 651-2600 SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 AMP PRB | $367.20 | $510.00 | $51.31–$510.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Elizabeths Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis O'Fallon, IL SARS-COV-2 COVID-19 AMP PRB | $382.32 | $531.00 | $30.13–$531.00 | 28% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $22.00, median $68.19, highest $161.63 — a 7.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $72.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 7 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.