Rapid strep test cost in Fort Smith, AR
In Fort Smith, AR-OK, 1 hospital lists a cash price for rapid strep A antigen test from a throat swab, read visually: from $26.65 to $26.65, with a median of $26.65. Across Arkansas, the median is $36.75 at 16 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 87880, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Fort Smith, AR-OK.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Fort Smith lowest Fort Smith, AR · (479) 314-6000 Rapid Strep Dir Optical Observ | $26.65 | $41.00 | $12.29–$41.12 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Fort Smith lowest Fort Smith, AR · (479) 314-6000 Rapid Strep Dir Optical Observ | $26.65 | $41.00 | $12.29–$41.12 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Fort Smith Fort Smith, AR · (479) 314-6000 POC Rapid Strep Dir Optical Observ | $35.75 | $55.00 | $12.29–$41.12 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Fort Smith Fort Smith, AR · (479) 314-6000 POC Rapid Strep Dir Optical Observ | $35.75 | $55.00 | $12.29–$41.12 | 35% | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $26.65, median $26.65, highest $26.65.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is 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
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.