Rapid flu test cost in New Orleans, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 13 hospitals list a cash price for rapid flu test (influenza antigen): from $7.98 to $81.11, with a median of $15.18. The lowest listed price is at East Jefferson General Hospital and 2 other hospitals — $7.20 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $23.21 at 50 hospitals.
- The median here, $15.18, is 75% below the US median of $60.40.
- That is 0.9× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($16.55).
- Every hospital here lists a cash price below its full list price.
Cash prices at 13 facilities across 6 cities for code 87804, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 16, 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Jefferson General Hospital lowest Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Ej Ref Lab Rapid Influenza Virus Screen File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $7.98 | $57.00 | $11.40–$6.04 | 86% |
| Lakeside Hospital lowest Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Ej Ref Lab Rapid Influenza Virus Screen File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $7.98 | $57.00 | $11.40–$6.04 | 86% |
| Tulane Medical Center lowest New Orleans, LA · (504) 988-5263 Ej Ref Lab Rapid Influenza Virus Screen File of Jun 25, 2026 · source file | $7.98 | $57.00 | $11.40–$6.04 | 86% |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Ej Ref Lab Rapid Influenza Virus Screen File of Jun 30, 2026 · source file | $9.12 | $57.00 | $10.98–$57.00 | 84% |
| Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner Kenner, LA · (504) 464-8065 HC POC INFLUENZA A & B VIRUS TESTING File of Sep 16, 2026 · source file | $12.60 | $45.00 | $14.90–$93.84 | 72% |
| St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA · (985) 785-3644 HC INFLUENZA A & B VIRUS TESTING File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $13.23 | $49.00 | $14.83–$45.04 | 73% |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Influenza a Assay W/Optic+1 more line at this price File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $14.00 | $100.00 | $10.60–$66.59 | 86% |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Influenza a Assay W/Optic+1 more line at this price File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $14.00 | $100.00 | $10.60–$66.59 | 86% |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 988-5263 Influenza a Assay W/Optic+1 more line at this price File of Jun 25, 2026 · source file | $14.00 | $100.00 | $10.60–$66.59 | 86% |
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation New Orleans, LA · (504) 842-3000 HC POC INFLUENZA A & B VIRUS TESTING File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $15.18 | $69.00 | $14.83–$62.10 | 78% |
| Ochsner Clinic Foundation New Orleans, LA · (504) 842-3000 HC INFLUENZA A & B VIRUS TESTING File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $18.92 | $86.00 | $14.83–$77.40 | 78% |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Detection Test for Influenza Virus+1 more line at this price File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $19.04 | $136.00 | $136.00–$90.56 | 86% |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Sofia Influenza a+B+1 more line at this price File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $19.04 | $136.00 | $136.00–$90.56 | 86% |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 988-5263 Sofia Influenza a+B+1 more line at this price File of Jun 25, 2026 · source file | $19.04 | $136.00 | $136.00–$90.56 | 86% |
| St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette, LA · (504) 826-9500 HC POC INFLUENZA A & B VIRUS TESTING File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $22.08 | $69.00 | $6.95–$51.75 | 68% |
| New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 592-6600 Influenza B Assay W/Optic+2 more lines at this price File of Jun 24, 2026 · source file | $23.04 | $144.00 | $144.00–$86.40 | 84% |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Influenza a Assay W/Optic+3 more lines at this price File of Jun 30, 2026 · source file | $23.36 | $146.00 | $111.69–$69.20 | 84% |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 Sofia Influenza a+B+3 more lines at this price File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $23.38 | $167.00 | $118.57–$9.82 | 86% |
| Ochsner Medical Center – Kenner Kenner, LA · (504) 464-8065 HC INFLUENZA A & B VIRUS TESTING File of Sep 16, 2026 · source file | $24.08 | $86.00 | $14.90–$93.84 | 72% |
| St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette, LA · (504) 826-9500 HC INFLUENZA A & B VIRUS TESTING File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $27.52 | $86.00 | $6.95–$64.50 | 68% |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 Sofia Influenza a+B+3 more lines at this price File of Jun 24, 2026 · source file | $38.88 | $144.00 | $100.80–$91.87 | 73% |
| University Med Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 Influenza a Assay W/Optic+3 more lines at this price File of Jul 1, 2026 · source file | $62.26 | $283.00 | $110.65–$97.69 | 78% |
| St Charles Surgical Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 529-6600 INF ANTIGEN DETECTION FLU File of Aug 17, 2026 · source file | $81.11 | $230.00 | $16.22–$105.34 | 65% |
Outpatient: lowest $7.98, median $15.18, highest $81.11 — a 10.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 5 facilities here, median $18.92. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 9 of 13 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 10 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 rapid flu test is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Rapid flu test explained.