Blood culture cost in Alabama
In Alabama, 49 hospitals publish a cash price for blood culture for bacteria: from $12.38 to $1,399.50, with a median of $81.98. The lowest price is at Cullman Regional Medical Center (Cullman). The highest price is 113.0× the lowest.
- The median here, $81.98, is 29% below the US median of $115.50.
- That is 7.9× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($10.32).
- Alabama ranks 13th of 51 states by median, cheapest first.
- 17 of 49 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 87040. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 8, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$12.38Cullman Regional Medical Center
Median$81.98half of hospitals charge less
Highest$1,399.50in Alabama
Lowest saves$69.60vs the median
Hospitals in Alabama, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cullman Regional Medical Center lowest Cullman · Cullman, AL Blood Culture | $12.38 | $123.22 | Jan 19, 2026 source file |
| Coosa Valley Medical Center Sylacauga · Talladega-Sylacauga, AL Culture Node | $13.00 | $53.00 | — source file |
| Montgomery Cancer Center Montgomery · Montgomery, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $13.80 | $23.00 | Dec 30, 2025 source file |
| Troy Regional Medical Center Troy · Troy, AL CULT-BLOOD | $15.29 | $85.00 | Dec 31, 2024 source file |
| Grandview Medical Center Birmingham · Birmingham, AL CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $29.70 | $198.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Children's Hospital of Alabama Birmingham · Birmingham, AL HC Cult-Bld,Anaerob Resin,Aerobic | $30.43 | $70.77 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| The Children's Hospital of Alabama – Benjamin Russell Hospital Birmingham · Birmingham, AL HC Cult-Bld,Anaerob Resin,Aerobic | $30.43 | $70.77 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Tanner Medical Center - East Alabama Wedowee · Wedowee, AL BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $35.20 | $88.00 | Mar 24, 2026 source file |
| Evergreen Medical Center Evergreen · Evergreen, AL CULTURE - BLOOD ANAEROBIC (REF) | $39.00 | $60.00 | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| Southeast Health Medical Center Dothan · Dothan, AL BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $43.42 | $108.54 | Nov 4, 2026 source file |
| East Alabama Medical Center Opelika · Auburn-Opelika, AL Culture Blood Body Fluid | $47.30 | $86.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Whitfield Regional Hospital Demopolis · Demopolis, AL Blood Culture | $48.00 | $80.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Monroe County Hospital Monroeville · Monroeville, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $52.20 | $130.50 | Mar 2, 2026 source file |
| Highlands Medical Center Scottsboro · Scottsboro, AL BACTERIAL BLOOD CULTURE | $53.90 | $77.00 | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Medical Center Barbour Eufaula · Eufaula, AL-GA CULT-BLOOD | $57.50 | $115.00 | Mar 29, 2026 source file |
| Flowers Hospital Dothan · Dothan, AL CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $68.25 | $455.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Hale County Hospital Greensboro · Tuscaloosa, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $70.40 | $88.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Dch Regional Medical Center Tuscaloosa · Tuscaloosa, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $71.50 | $143.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Fayette Medical Center Fayette · Fayette, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $71.50 | $143.00 | Mar 26, 2026 source file |
| Bibb Medical Center Centreville · Birmingham, AL CULTURE-BLOOD | $73.10 | $73.10 | Nov 1, 2025 source file |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital West Decatur · Decatur, AL CULTURE,BLOOD | $78.00 | $78.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital - Decatur Campus Decatur · Decatur, AL CULTURE,BLOOD | $78.00 | $78.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital - Parkway Campus Decatur · Decatur, AL CULTURE,BLOOD | $78.00 | $78.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Medical Center Enterprise Enterprise · Enterprise, AL CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $81.27 | $903.03 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Crestwood Medical Center Huntsville · Huntsville, AL CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $81.98 | $455.44 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Crenshaw Community Hospital Luverne · Luverne, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $83.63 | $167.25 | Oct 13, 2025 source file |
| Russellville Hospital Russellville · Russellville, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $86.97 | $334.50 | Jul 31, 2026 source file |
| Floyd Cherokee Medical Center Centre · Centre, AL HC CULTURE BLOOD | $92.00 | $184.00 | Oct 30, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Medical Center South Montgomery · Montgomery, AL CULTURE BLOOD | $103.41 | $172.35 | Dec 30, 2025 source file |
| Springhill Memorial Hospital Mobile · Mobile, AL MICRO CULT BLOOD | $106.28 | $125.03 | Apr 2, 2026 source file |
| Marion Regional Medical Center Hamilton · Hamilton, AL HC CULTURE BLOOD | $109.65 | $255.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| North Mississippi Health Services-South Marion Winfield · Winfield, AL HC CULTURE BLOOD | $109.65 | $255.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UAB Medical West Bessemer · Birmingham, AL Culture Blood | $111.75 | $149.00 | Jun 22, 2026 source file |
| Athens Limestone Hospital Athens · Huntsville, AL CULTURE, BLOOD | $112.00 | $112.00 | Mar 25, 2026 source file |
| DeKalb Regional Medical Center Fort Payne · Fort Payne, AL CULTURE, BLOOD | $112.00 | $112.00 | Aug 20, 2026 source file |
| Baldwin Health Foley · Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $114.56 | $636.43 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Ochsner Choctaw General Butler · Butler, AL HC BLOOD CULTURE | $137.56 | $181.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Helen Keller Hospital Sheffield · Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL LAB-BLOOD CULTURE, AEROBIC | $258.00 | $258.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| Gadsden Regional Medical Center Gadsden · Gadsden, AL CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $272.95 | $2,274.57 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Huntsville Hospital Huntsville · Huntsville, AL LAB-BLOOD CULTURE, AEROBIC | $287.00 | $287.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| Huntsville Hospital Madison · Huntsville, AL LAB-BLOOD CULTURE, AEROBIC | $287.00 | $287.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| Marshall Medical Center North Guntersville · Albertville, AL LAB-BLOOD CULTURE, AEROBIC | $287.00 | $287.00 | Apr 13, 2026 source file |
| Marshall Medical Centers Boaz · Albertville, AL LAB-BLOOD CULTURE, AEROBIC | $287.00 | $287.00 | Apr 13, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital Birmingham · Birmingham, AL Hb Blood Culture | $461.30 | $461.30 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Citizens Hospital Talladega · Talladega-Sylacauga, AL Hb Blood Culture | $484.00 | $484.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Princeton Hospital Birmingham · Birmingham, AL Hb Blood Culture | $484.00 | $484.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Shelby Hospital Alabaster · Birmingham, AL Hb Blood Culture | $484.00 | $484.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Walker Hospital Jasper · Birmingham, AL Hb Blood Culture | $484.00 | $484.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Red Bay Hospital Red Bay · Russellville, AL OR-SCRW FEM NCK 105MM ANTI-ROT | $1,399.50 | $1,399.50 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
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
File date When the hospital last updated its price file, as the file says itself. A dash means the file gives no date.
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
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 9 | $29.70 | $111.75 |
| Huntsville, AL | 4 | $81.98 | $199.50 |
| Decatur, AL | 3 | $78.00 | $78.00 |
| Albertville, AL | 2 | $287.00 | $287.00 |
| Dothan, AL | 2 | $43.42 | $55.84 |
| Montgomery, AL | 2 | $13.80 | $58.60 |
| Russellville, AL | 2 | $86.97 | $743.24 |
| Talladega-Sylacauga, AL | 2 | $13.00 | $248.50 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 2 | $70.40 | $70.95 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 1 | $47.30 | $47.30 |
| Butler, AL | 1 | $137.56 | $137.56 |
| Centre, AL | 1 | $92.00 | $92.00 |
| Cullman, AL | 1 | $12.38 | $12.38 |
| Demopolis, AL | 1 | $48.00 | $48.00 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | 1 | $114.56 | $114.56 |
| Evergreen, AL | 1 | $39.00 | $39.00 |
| Enterprise, AL | 1 | $81.27 | $81.27 |
| Eufaula, AL-GA | 1 | $57.50 | $57.50 |
| Fayette, AL | 1 | $71.50 | $71.50 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 1 | $258.00 | $258.00 |
| Fort Payne, AL | 1 | $112.00 | $112.00 |
| Gadsden, AL | 1 | $272.95 | $272.95 |
| Hamilton, AL | 1 | $109.65 | $109.65 |
| Luverne, AL | 1 | $83.63 | $83.63 |
| Monroeville, AL | 1 | $52.20 | $52.20 |
| Mobile, AL | 1 | $106.28 | $106.28 |
| Scottsboro, AL | 1 | $53.90 | $53.90 |
| Troy, AL | 1 | $15.29 | $15.29 |
| Wedowee, AL | 1 | $35.20 | $35.20 |
| Winfield, AL | 1 | $109.65 | $109.65 |
Market A metro area (as the Census Bureau defines it) or, outside metro areas, a town. Each links to every hospital price there.
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Lowest The lowest cash price among those hospitals.
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
What blood culture is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Blood culture explained.
Blood culture for bacteria in other states
- Alaska$209.15
- Arizona$126.65
- Arkansas$49.26
- California$272.16
- Colorado$209.10
- Connecticut$67.61
- Delaware$188.16
- District of Columbia$95.80, 3 hospitals
- Florida$341.00
- Georgia$150.76
- Hawaii$100.10
- Idaho$113.25
- Illinois$144.59
- Indiana$130.50
- Iowa$91.80
- Kansas$78.30
- Kentucky$112.10
- Louisiana$45.00
- Maine$83.73
- Maryland$109.77
- Massachusetts$79.00
- Michigan$63.00
- Minnesota$116.44
- Mississippi$89.20
- Missouri$111.24
- Montana$151.46
- Nebraska$186.89
- Nevada$236.30
- New Hampshire$140.45
- New Jersey$55.27
- New Mexico$131.08
- New York$62.83
- North Carolina$152.11
- North Dakota$85.00
- Ohio$93.60
- Oklahoma$73.78
- Oregon$110.16
- Pennsylvania$84.80
- Puerto Rico$44.42
- Rhode Island$82.80
- South Carolina$153.60
- South Dakota$164.00
- Tennessee$54.23
- Texas$204.31
- Utah$282.52
- Vermont$136.00
- Virginia$103.50
- Washington$149.05
- West Virginia$74.19
- Wisconsin$85.80
- Wyoming$110.78
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.