Biopsy pathology exam cost in Columbus, OH
In Columbus, OH, 20 hospitals list a cash price for biopsy tissue exam by a pathologist (level IV): from $55.35 to $459.55, with a median of $259.40. The lowest listed price is at Fairfield Medical Center — $204.05 less than the median here. Across Ohio, the median is $203.45 at 135 hospitals.
- The median here, $259.40, is 52% above the US median of $171.00.
- That is 4.9× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($53.24).
- Columbus, OH ranks 4th of 4 metro areas in Ohio by median, cheapest first.
- 2 of 20 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Cash prices at 20 facilities across 14 cities for code 88305, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Oct 22, 2025 and Jul 31, 2026.
Lowest$55.35Fairfield Medical Center
Median$259.40half of hospitals charge less
Highest$459.55in this market
Difference8.3×highest vs lowest
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Columbus, OH.
median
Lowest $55.35Highest $990.00
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield Medical Center lowest Lancaster, OH · (740) 687-8000 88305 AP Bill TE V File of Feb 26, 2026 · source file | $55.35 | $123.00 | $24.07–$123.00 | 55% |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 HC Surg Path,Level IV - Bone Marrow Aspir/Proc/Stain File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $108.35 | $108.35 | $49.24–$108.35 | — |
| Fairfield Medical Center Lancaster, OH · (740) 687-8000 88305 Bill Surg BMBX+2 more lines at this price File of Feb 26, 2026 · source file | $108.45 | $241.00 | $24.07–$241.00 | 55% |
| Hocking Valley Community Hospital Logan, OH · (740) 380-8000 HC So Surg Path Level IV Except Prostate Needle Biopsy File of Jul 31, 2026 · source file | $181.05 | $181.05 | — | — |
| Morrow County Hospital Mount Gilead, OH · (419) 946-5015 Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, intermediate complexity File of Oct 22, 2025 · source file | $182.59 | $280.90 | $45.95–$272.47 | 35% |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 HC Surg Path,Level IV - Tech Only File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $195.55 | $195.55 | $49.24–$195.55 | — |
| Diley Ridge Medical Center Canal Winchester, OH · (614) 838-7911 HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $203.45 | $313.00 | $28.98–$632.00 | 35% |
| Mount Carmel Dublin Dublin, OH · (380) 898-9000 HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $203.45 | $313.00 | $28.98–$313.00 | 35% |
| Mount Carmel East Columbus, OH · (614) 234-5000 HC External Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $203.45 | $313.00 | $28.98–$632.00 | 35% |
| Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital New Albany, OH · (614) 775-6600 HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $203.45 | $313.00 | $28.98–$632.00 | 35% |
| Mount Carmel St Ann's Westerville, OH · (614) 546-4034 HC External Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $203.45 | $313.00 | $28.98–$632.00 | 35% |
| Mount Carmel Grove City Grove City, OH HC Warde 3515295 Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination+2 more lines at this price File of Mar 31, 2026 · source file | $203.45 | $313.00 | $28.98–$632.00 | 35% |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 HC Surg Path,Level IV - Cell Block Preparation & Inter File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $226.00 | $226.00 | $49.24–$226.00 | — |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 HC Surg Path,Level IV - Bone Marrow Bio Proc/Stain File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $275.15 | $275.15 | $49.24–$275.15 | — |
| Galion Community Hospital Galion, OH · (419) 468-4841 HC SURG PATH LEVEL IV EXCEPT PROSTATE NEEDLE BIOPSY File of Mar 20, 2026 · source file | $315.35 | $371.00 | $126.14–$341.32 | 15% |
| Berger Hospital Circleville, OH · (740) 420-8008 Hc Prostate Biopsy, Any Method+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $324.35 | $499.00 | — | 35% |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 Lab Test - Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, intermediate complexity File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $371.00 | $371.00 | $49.24–$371.00 | — |
| Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 722-2000 GROSS AND MICRO LEVEL IV File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $381.60 | $424.00 | $275.60–$415.52 | 10% |
| Grady Memorial Hospital Delaware, OH · (740) 368-5145 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $408.20 | $628.00 | — | 35% |
| Dublin Methodist Hospital Dublin, OH · (614) 544-8000 Hc Prostate Biopsy, Any Method+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $459.55 | $707.00 | — | 35% |
| Pickerington Methodist Hospital Pickerington, OH · (614) 544-2136 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $459.55 | $707.00 | — | 35% |
| Grant Medical Center Columbus, OH · (614) 566-9164 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $459.55 | $707.00 | — | 35% |
| Grove City Methodist Grove City, OH · (614) 544-2136 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $459.55 | $707.00 | — | 35% |
| Riverside Methodist Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 566-5000 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $459.55 | $707.00 | — | 35% |
| Doctors Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 544-2136 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv+1 more line at this price File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $459.55 | $707.00 | — | 35% |
| Riverside Methodist Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 566-5000 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $531.05 | $817.00 | — | 35% |
| Pickerington Methodist Hospital Pickerington, OH · (614) 544-2136 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $531.05 | $817.00 | — | 35% |
| Berger Hospital Circleville, OH · (740) 420-8008 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $531.05 | $817.00 | — | 35% |
| Grant Medical Center Columbus, OH · (614) 566-9164 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $531.05 | $817.00 | — | 35% |
| Grove City Methodist Grove City, OH · (614) 544-2136 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $531.05 | $817.00 | — | 35% |
| Doctors Hospital Columbus, OH · (614) 544-2136 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $531.05 | $817.00 | — | 35% |
| Dublin Methodist Hospital Dublin, OH · (614) 544-8000 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $531.05 | $817.00 | — | 35% |
| Grady Memorial Hospital Delaware, OH · (740) 368-5145 Hc Gross And Micro Level Iv So File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $590.20 | $908.00 | — | 35% |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 HC Surg Path,Level IV - Lab Surg Path,Level IV+1 more line at this price File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $731.20 | $731.20 | $49.24–$731.20 | — |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 HC Surg Path,Level IV - Surg Class VI Com Diag Problem File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $744.05 | $744.05 | $49.24–$744.05 | — |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 HC Surg Path,Level IV - Placenta File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $896.80 | $896.80 | $49.24–$896.80 | — |
| Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, OH · (740) 348-4000 Surgical Pathology - Prostate Biopsy File of Mar 16, 2026 · source file | $990.00 | $990.00 | $49.24–$990.00 | — |
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
Insurers pay The lowest and highest rates this hospital has agreed with insurance plans for the same item, from its price file. If the cash price is below what your plan pays and you have not met your deductible, paying cash can cost you less. More
Off list How much lower the cash price is than the list price.
At or below Medicare This cash price is at or below what Medicare pays a hospital for the same service, which is unusually low. It is what the hospital's file says; confirm it and what it includes before booking. More
No cash discount This line's cash price equals the hospital's full list price. Many hospitals still reduce bills for uninsured patients: ask the billing office for its self-pay discount in writing. More
Outpatient: lowest $55.35, median $259.40, highest $459.55 — a 8.3× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 18 facilities here, median $319.85. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 10 of 11 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 biopsy pathology exam is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Biopsy pathology exam explained.