COVID-19 PCR test cost in Worcester, MA — inpatient
In Worcester, MA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for COVID-19 PCR test (SARS-CoV-2 lab test) as an inpatient: from $162.00 to $349.00, with a median of $262.50. The lowest listed price is at Milford Regional Medical Center — $100.50 less than the median here. Across Massachusetts, the median is $165.03 at 18 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 4 cities for code 87635, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 26, 2026 and Apr 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 Worcester, MA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milford Regional Medical Center lowest Milford, MA · (508) 473-1190 ID Now COVID | $162.00 | $162.00 | $162.00 | — | — source file |
| Milford Regional Medical Center Milford, MA · (508) 473-1190 COVID-19 Coronavirus | $166.00 | $166.00 | $166.00 | — | — source file |
| UMass Memorial Health - Harrington Hospital Southbridge, MA · (508) 765-9771 HC Rl Infectious Agent Detection by Nucleic Acid (Dna or Rna); Sars-Cov-2 (Coronavirus Disease [Covid-19]), Amplified Probe Technique | $179.00 | $179.00 | — | — | Apr 3, 2026 source file |
| HealthAlliance - Clinton Hospital Leominster, MA · (978) 466-2000 HC Rl Infectious Agent Detection by Nucleic Acid (Dna or Rna); Sars-Cov-2 (Coronavirus Disease [Covid-19]), Amplified Probe Technique | $346.00 | $346.00 | — | — | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| UMass Memorial Medical Center Worcester, MA · (508) 334-1000 HC Rl Infectious Agent Detection by Nucleic Acid (Dna or Rna); Sars-Cov-2 (Coronavirus Disease [Covid-19]), Amplified Probe Technique | $349.00 | $349.00 | — | — | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Milford Regional Medical Center Milford, MA · (508) 473-1190 COVID-19 Coronovirus Complex | $432.00 | $432.00 | $432.00 | — | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $162.00, median $262.50, highest $349.00 — a 2.2× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $262.50 — 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 not 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.