Rapid strep test cost in New Orleans, LA
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, 8 hospitals list a cash price for rapid strep A antigen test from a throat swab, read visually: from $8.82 to $27.94, with a median of $13.58. The lowest listed price is at Tulane Medical Center and 2 other hospitals — $4.76 less than the median here. Across Louisiana, the median is $14.40 at 13 hospitals.
Cash prices at 8 facilities across 3 cities 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 Jun 24, 2026 and Jul 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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulane Medical Center lowest New Orleans, LA Sofia Strep A | $8.82 | $63.00 | $12.60–$63.00 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital lowest Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Sofia Strep A | $8.82 | $63.00 | $12.60–$63.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital lowest Metairie, LA Sofia Strep A | $8.82 | $63.00 | $12.60–$63.00 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 592-6600 Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $13.44 | $84.00 | $16.18–$84.00 | 84% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 Sofia Strep A | $13.72 | $98.00 | $16.18–$9.82 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Touro Infirmary New Orleans, LA · (504) 897-8247 Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $13.72 | $98.00 | $16.18–$9.82 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $15.36 | $96.00 | $14.72–$96.00 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA · (504) 347-5511 Sofia Strep A | $15.36 | $96.00 | $14.72–$96.00 | 84% | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $22.68 | $84.00 | $13.25–$84.00 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA · (504) 899-9511 Sofia Strep A | $22.68 | $84.00 | $13.25–$84.00 | 73% | Jun 24, 2026 source file |
| Tulane Medical Center New Orleans, LA Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $27.58 | $197.00 | $131.18–$96.53 | 86% | Jun 25, 2026 source file |
| East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie, LA · (504) 988-5263 Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $27.58 | $197.00 | $131.18–$96.53 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Lakeside Hospital Metairie, LA Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $27.58 | $197.00 | $131.18–$96.53 | 86% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| University Med Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 Sofia Strep A | $27.94 | $127.00 | $127.00–$71.88 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| University Med Center New Orleans, LA · (504) 702-3000 Strep Test (Streptococcus Group A) | $27.94 | $127.00 | $127.00–$71.88 | 78% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $8.82, median $13.58, highest $27.94 — a 3.2× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 7 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 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.