Rapid strep test cost in Memphis, TN — inpatient
In Memphis, TN-MS-AR, 12 hospitals list a cash price for rapid strep A antigen test from a throat swab, read visually as an inpatient: from $17.38 to $50.40, with a median of $34.76. The lowest listed price is at Methodist Lebonheur Childrens Hosp — $17.38 less than the median here. Across Tennessee, the median is $34.50 at 40 hospitals.
Cash prices at 12 facilities across 7 cities for code 87880, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 27, 2026 and Feb 28, 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methodist Lebonheur Childrens Hosp lowest Memphis, TN HC Strep a Assay W/Optic - Rapid Strep a Screen | $17.38 | $79.00 | — | 78% | — source file |
| Methodist Lebonheur Childrens Hosp lowest Memphis, TN HC Strep a Assay W/Optic - POCT Rapid Strep A | $17.38 | $79.00 | — | 78% | — source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Crittenden West Memphis, AR · (870) 394-7800 STREP A SCREEN | $24.75 | $165.00 | $62.70–$132.00 | 85% | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis Memphis, TN · (901) 226-5000 STREP A SCREEN | $34.65 | $165.00 | $62.70–$148.50 | 79% | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Women's Memphis, TN STREP A SCREEN | $34.65 | $165.00 | $62.70–$148.50 | 79% | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville Collierville, TN STREP A SCREEN | $34.65 | $165.00 | $62.70–$148.50 | 79% | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Lebonheur Germantown Hosp Germantown, TN HC Strep a Assay W/Optic - Rapid Strep a Screen | $34.76 | $158.00 | $6.94–$86.11 | 78% | — source file |
| Methodist University Hospital Memphis, TN · (901) 516-8274 HC Strep a Assay W/Optic - Rapid Strep a Screen | $34.76 | $158.00 | — | 78% | — source file |
| Methodist South Hospital Memphis, TN HC Strep a Assay W/Optic - Rapid Strep a Screen | $34.76 | $158.00 | $6.94–$86.11 | 78% | — source file |
| Methodist North Hospital Memphis, TN HC Strep a Assay W/Optic - Rapid Strep a Screen | $34.76 | $158.00 | $6.94–$86.11 | 78% | — source file |
| Methodist Olive Branch Hospital Olive Branch, MS · (662) 932-9000 HC Strep a Assay W/Optic - Rapid Strep a Screen | $34.76 | $158.00 | — | 78% | — source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton Covington, TN · (901) 476-2621 STREP A SCREEN | $48.96 | $204.00 | $77.52–$183.60 | 76% | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto Southaven, MS · (662) 772-4000 STREP A SCREEN | $50.40 | $252.00 | $95.76–$226.80 | 80% | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $17.38, median $34.76, highest $50.40 — a 2.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $34.76 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 9 of 9 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 6 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.