Blood culture cost in Kentucky
In Kentucky, 15 hospitals publish a cash price for blood culture for bacteria: from $23.45 to $195.26, with a median of $128.24. The lowest price is at Deaconess Henderson Hospital (Henderson) and 1 other hospital. The highest price is 8.3× the lowest.
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 Sep 23, 2026.
Lowest$23.45Deaconess Henderson Hospital + 1 more
Median$128.24half pay less
Highest$195.26in Kentucky
Lowest saves$104.79vs the median
Hospitals in Kentucky, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deaconess Henderson Hospital lowest Henderson · Henderson, KY CULTURE, BLOOD | $23.45 | $67.00 | Feb 9, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Hospital Union County lowest Morganfield · Morganfield, KY CULTURE, BLOOD | $23.45 | $67.00 | Feb 13, 2026 source file |
| King's Daughters' Medical Center Ashland · Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HCHG CULTURE, BLOOD | $70.72 | $176.78 | Oct 14, 2025 source file |
| University of Kentucky Hospital Lexington · Lexington-Fayette, KY Hc Blood Culture | $84.34 | $210.85 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Marcum and Wallace Memorial Hospital Irvine · Richmond-Berea, KY HC Culture Blood | $84.60 | $141.00 | — source file |
| Norton Hospitals Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN HB CULTURE BLD AEROB ONLY | $90.60 | $453.00 | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital Paducah · Paducah, KY-IL HC Culture Blood | $98.40 | $164.00 | — source file |
| Baptist Health Corbin Corbin · Corbin, KY Bacterial blood culture | $128.24 | $170.98 | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Hardin Elizabethtown · Elizabethtown, KY Bacterial blood culture | $128.24 | $170.98 | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health LaGrange La Grange · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Bacterial blood culture | $128.24 | $170.98 | Sep 15, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Lexington Lexington · Lexington-Fayette, KY Bacterial blood culture | $128.24 | $170.98 | Sep 17, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Louisville Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Bacterial blood culture | $128.24 | $170.98 | Sep 18, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Paducah Paducah · Paducah, KY-IL Bacterial blood culture | $128.24 | $170.98 | Sep 18, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Richmond Richmond · Richmond-Berea, KY Bacterial blood culture | $128.24 | $170.98 | Sep 18, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Manchester Manchester · Corbin, KY HC CULTURE BLOOD | $195.26 | $195.26 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 3 | $90.60 | $128.24 |
| Corbin, KY | 2 | $128.24 | $161.75 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 2 | $84.34 | $106.29 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | 2 | $98.40 | $113.32 |
| Richmond-Berea, KY | 2 | $84.60 | $106.42 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 1 | $128.24 | $128.24 |
| Henderson, KY | 1 | $23.45 | $23.45 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 1 | $70.72 | $70.72 |
| Morganfield, KY | 1 | $23.45 | $23.45 |
What it is
A blood culture checks for bacteria or yeast in the blood. It is ordered for fever with signs of a serious infection, such as sepsis.
What the price covers
The price is usually for one culture set. The blood draw (36415) is often billed as a separate line.
Blood culture for bacteria in other states
- Alabama$196.64
- Alaska$214.50
- Arizona$96.82
- Arkansas$63.60
- California$272.16
- Colorado$300.98
- Connecticut$50.66
- Delaware$188.16
- Florida$286.98
- Georgia$80.00
- Hawaii$61.20
- Idaho$44.66
- Illinois$137.50
- Indiana$134.46
- Iowa$83.80
- Kansas$144.13
- Louisiana$40.64
- Maine$87.61
- Maryland$117.49
- Massachusetts$49.94
- Michigan$62.00
- Minnesota$79.71
- Mississippi$88.08
- Missouri$110.50
- Montana$146.40
- Nebraska$115.44
- Nevada$252.60
- New Hampshire$98.90
- New Jersey$12.24
- New Mexico$117.96
- New York$53.22
- North Carolina$150.05
- North Dakota$70.29
- Ohio$93.60
- Oklahoma$75.35
- Oregon$110.16
- Pennsylvania$84.80
- Puerto Rico$40.00
- Rhode Island$82.80
- South Carolina$223.60
- South Dakota$91.20
- Tennessee$33.80
- Texas$205.15
- Utah$124.65
- Vermont$187.00
- Virginia$73.80
- Washington$127.40
- West Virginia$79.50
- Wisconsin$80.00
- Wyoming$81.14
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.