Rapid strep test cost in Duluth, MN — inpatient
In Duluth, MN-WI, 9 hospitals list a cash price for rapid strep A antigen test from a throat swab, read visually as an inpatient: from $24.02 to $69.47, with a median of $53.46. The lowest listed price is at Range Regional Health Services — $29.44 less than the median here. Across Minnesota, the median is $50.87 at 45 hospitals.
Cash prices at 9 facilities across 6 cities for code 87880, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 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 Duluth, MN-WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range Regional Health Services lowest Hibbing, MN · (218) 362-6730 HC STREP GROUP A ANTIGEN (RAPID) | $24.02 | $56.50 | $25.71–$56.22 | 57% | Jan 29, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Virginia Virginia, MN · (218) 741-3340 STREP A ASSAY W/OPTIC | $50.87 | $81.00 | $34.74–$72.98 | 37% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Duluth Duluth, MN · (218) 786-2652 STREP A ASSAY W/OPTIC | $53.46 | $81.00 | $33.50–$69.66 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Children's Hospital Duluth, MN STREP A ASSAY W/OPTIC | $53.46 | $81.00 | $34.74–$69.66 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical Center Duluth, MN · (218) 786-3574 STREP A ASSAY W/OPTIC | $53.46 | $81.00 | $34.74–$69.66 | 34% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 IAADIADOO STREPTOCOCCUS GROUP A | $64.19 | $118.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital Duluth, MN · (218) 249-2449 Fac Iaadiadoo Streptococcus Group A | $64.19 | $118.00 | — | 46% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health St Marys Hospital-Superior Superior, WI · (715) 817-7000 STREP A ASSAY W/OPTIC | $69.47 | $94.00 | $37.79–$85.07 | 26% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Moose Lake Moose Lake, MN · (218) 786-1367 STREP A ASSAY W/OPTIC | $69.47 | $94.00 | $37.79–$85.07 | 26% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Essentia Health Northern Pines Aurora, MN · (218) 229-4222 STREP A ASSAY W/OPTIC | $69.47 | $94.00 | $37.79–$94.00 | 26% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $24.02, median $53.46, highest $69.47 — a 2.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 9 facilities here, median $53.46 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 8 of 8 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
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.