Rapid strep test cost in Washington, DC — inpatient
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 6 hospitals list a cash price for rapid strep A antigen test from a throat swab, read visually as an inpatient: from $89.50 to $123.50, with a median of $123.50. The lowest listed price is at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center — $34.00 less than the median here.
Cash prices at 6 facilities across 5 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center lowest Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Strep A Assay W/Optic | $89.50 | $179.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center lowest Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Chgl Strep Screen Stat | $89.50 | $179.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC INFECT AG IA OPTC OBS STREP GRP A | $123.50 | $247.00 | $11.72–$192.66 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC INFECT AG IA OPTC OBS STREP GRP A | $123.50 | $247.00 | $11.72–$192.66 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC INFECT AG IA OPTC OBS STREP GRP A | $123.50 | $247.00 | $11.72–$192.66 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC INFECT AG IA OPTC OBS STREP GRP A | $123.50 | $247.00 | $11.72–$192.66 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC INFECT AG IA OPTC OBS STREP GRP A | $123.50 | $247.00 | $11.72–$192.66 | 50% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $89.50, median $123.50, highest $123.50 — a 1.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 7 facilities here, median $123.50 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 5 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it 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.