COVID-19 PCR test cost in Scranton, PA — inpatient
In Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for COVID-19 PCR test (SARS-CoV-2 lab test) as an inpatient: from $43.92 to $51.24, with a median of $47.58. The lowest listed price is at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital — $3.66 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $75.00 at 72 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 87635, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Dec 1, 2024 and Dec 2, 2024.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre General Hospital lowest Wilkes-Barre, PA · (570) 829-8111 COVID19 PRB | $43.92 | $122.00 | $25.62–$112.85 | 64% | Dec 1, 2024 source file |
| Regional Hospital of Scranton Scranton, PA · (570) 348-7100 COVID19 PRB | $51.24 | $122.00 | $28.06–$114.80 | 58% | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
| Regional Hospital of Scranton Scranton, PA · (570) 348-7100 COVID19 PRB | $51.24 | $122.00 | $28.06–$114.80 | 58% | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
| Regional Hospital of Scranton Scranton, PA · (570) 348-7100 L139900 COVID19 NAA | $67.62 | $161.00 | $37.03–$151.50 | 58% | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
| Regional Hospital of Scranton Scranton, PA · (570) 348-7100 L139900 COVID19 NAA | $67.62 | $161.00 | $37.03–$151.50 | 58% | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
| Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Wilkes-Barre, PA · (570) 829-8111 Q39448 COVID19 | $85.32 | $237.00 | $49.77–$219.23 | 64% | Dec 1, 2024 source file |
| Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Wilkes-Barre, PA · (570) 829-8111 L139900 COVID19 NAA | $85.32 | $237.00 | $49.77–$219.23 | 64% | Dec 1, 2024 source file |
| Regional Hospital of Scranton Scranton, PA · (570) 348-7100 Q39448 COVID19 | $99.54 | $237.00 | $54.51–$223.02 | 58% | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
| Regional Hospital of Scranton Scranton, PA · (570) 348-7100 Q39448 COVID19 | $99.54 | $237.00 | $54.51–$223.02 | 58% | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $43.92, median $47.58, highest $51.24 — a 1.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $31.11 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it 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.