Lipase test cost in California

In California, 218 hospitals publish a cash price for lipase blood test (pancreas enzyme): from $4.50 to $1,230.84, with a median of $96.40. The lowest price is at UCI Health - Fountain Valley (Orange) and 2 other hospitals. The highest price is 273.5× the lowest.

• The median here, $96.40, is 51% above the US median of $63.95.
• That is 14.0× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($6.89).
• California ranks 43rd of 51 states by median, cheapest first.
• 66 of 218 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 83690. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 8, 2026. See them on a map