Rapid strep test cost in Columbia, SC — inpatient
In Columbia, SC, 3 hospitals list a cash price for rapid strep A antigen test from a throat swab, read visually as an inpatient: from $36.50 to $121.00, with a median of $36.50. The lowest listed price is at MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast and 1 other hospital. Across South Carolina, the median is $113.00 at 15 hospitals.
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 87880, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 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 Columbia, SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast lowest Columbia, SC HB RAPID STREP TEST | $36.50 | $73.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown lowest Columbia, SC · (803) 256-5300 HB RAPID STREP TEST | $36.50 | $73.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kershaw Medical Center Camden, SC · (803) 432-4311 HB RAPID STREP TEST | $121.00 | $242.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $36.50, median $36.50, highest $121.00 — a 3.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $36.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
What it is
A rapid strep test checks a throat swab for group A strep bacteria, the cause of strep throat, and gives a result in minutes. It helps the clinician decide whether antibiotics are needed.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the rapid test only. The visit is billed separately, and a backup throat culture, if done, has its own charge.