Blood culture cost in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, 100 hospitals publish a cash price for blood culture for bacteria: from $15.60 to $783.60, with a median of $84.80. The lowest price is at Excela Health - Frick Hospital (Mt Plesant) and 2 other hospitals. The highest price is 50.2× the lowest.
- The median here, $84.80, is 26% below the US median of $115.20.
- That is 8.2× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($10.32).
- Pennsylvania ranks 16th of 51 states by median, cheapest first.
- 10 of 100 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 12, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$15.60Excela Health - Frick Hospital + 2 more
Median$84.80half of hospitals charge less
Highest$783.60in Pennsylvania
Lowest saves$69.20vs the median
Hospitals in Pennsylvania, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excela Health - Frick Hospital lowest Mt Plesant · Pittsburgh, PA BLOOD CULTURE, ADDITIONAL | $15.60 | $26.00 | Dec 17, 2025 source file |
| Excela Health Latrobe Hospital lowest Latrobe · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $15.60 | $26.00 | Dec 17, 2025 source file |
| Excela Health Westmoreland Regional Hospital lowest Greeensburg · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $15.60 | $26.00 | Dec 17, 2025 source file |
| Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center Camp Hill · Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 87040 Culture Stem Cell. Tech | $16.01 | $67.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| St Joseph Regional Health Network Reading · Reading, PA Culture Blood. | $17.43 | $67.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster · Lancaster, PA 87040 Culture Stem Cell. Tech | $19.42 | $67.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center Enola · Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 87040 Culture Stem Cell. Tech | $21.08 | $67.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Hershey · Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA CULTURE BLOOD (SQ) | $22.20 | $67.00 | Mar 27, 2026 source file |
| Clarion Hospital Clarion · Clarion, PA Blood Culture 87040 | $28.00 | $50.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Wilkes-Barre · Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $28.08 | $117.00 | Dec 1, 2024 source file |
| Punxsutawney Area Hospital Punxsutawney · Punxsutawney, PA BLOOD CULTURE | $29.52 | $82.00 | Mar 2, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Greene Waynesburg · Waynesburg, PA BLOOD CULTURE-E | $32.80 | $46.85 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Washington Washington · Pittsburgh, PA BLOOD CULTURE-E | $32.80 | $46.85 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Uniontown Hospital Uniontown · Pittsburgh, PA BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $33.00 | $66.00 | Jul 9, 2026 source file |
| Titusville Area Hospital Titusville · Oil City, PA BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $34.20 | $57.00 | Sep 11, 2026 source file |
| Armstrong County Memorial Hospital Kittanning · Pittsburgh, PA BLOOD CULTURE | $38.10 | $127.00 | Mar 2, 2026 source file |
| Gettysburg Hospital Gettysburg · Gettysburg, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $42.40 | $53.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital York · York-Hanover, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $42.40 | $53.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| York Hospital York · York-Hanover, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $42.40 | $53.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Ephrata Community Hospital Ephrata · Lancaster, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $43.20 | $54.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Good Samaritan Hospital Lebanon · Lebanon, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $43.20 | $54.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Moses Taylor Hospital Scranton · Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $48.87 | $181.00 | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
| Regional Hospital of Scranton Scranton · Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA CULTURE BLOOD BACTER | $48.87 | $181.00 | Dec 2, 2024 source file |
| Chambersburg Hospital Chambersburg · Chambersburg, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $51.20 | $64.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Waynesboro Hospital Waynesboro · Chambersburg, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $51.20 | $64.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Meadville Medical Center Meadville · Meadville, PA BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $54.60 | $91.00 | Sep 11, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Kane Kane · Bradford, PA BLOOD CULTURE | $56.40 | $94.00 | Jul 16, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Carlisle Carlisle · Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA HC BLOOD CULTURE BACTI | $57.00 | $95.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Hanover Hanover · York-Hanover, PA HC BLOOD CULTURE BACTI | $57.00 | $95.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Lititz Lititz · Lancaster, PA HC BLOOD CULTURE BACTI | $57.00 | $95.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Memorial York · York-Hanover, PA HC BLOOD CULTURE BACTI | $57.00 | $95.00 | Oct 28, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Pinnacle Hospitals Harrisburg · Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA HC BLOOD CULTURE BACTI | $57.00 | $95.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Somerset Somerset · Somerset, PA HC BLOOD CULTURE BACTI | $57.00 | $95.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Allegheny Valley Hospital Natrona Heights · Pittsburgh, PA HC CULT BLOOD ISOL W ID | $64.68 | $84.00 | Oct 28, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Jameson New Castle · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $64.80 | $108.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Canonsburg General Hospital Canonsburg · Pittsburgh, PA HC CULT BLOOD ISOL W ID | $65.52 | $84.00 | Oct 28, 2026 source file |
| Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center Meadowbrook · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Culture Blood | $65.84 | $109.73 | Sep 21, 2026 source file |
| Grove City Medical Center Grove City · Hermitage, PA HC CULT BLOOD ISOL W ID | $67.76 | $88.00 | Oct 28, 2026 source file |
| West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA HC CULT BLOOD ISOL W ID | $67.89 | $93.00 | Oct 28, 2026 source file |
| Millcreek Medical Center Erie · Erie, PA CULTURE;BACTERIAL;BLOOD;AEROBI | $69.28 | $138.55 | May 8, 2026 source file |
| Allegheny General Hospital Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA HC CULT BLOOD ISOL W ID | $70.68 | $93.00 | Oct 28, 2026 source file |
| Jefferson Regional Medical Center Jefferson Hills · Pittsburgh, PA HC CULT BLOOD ISOL W ID | $71.28 | $88.00 | Oct 28, 2026 source file |
| Highlands Hospital Connellsville · Pittsburgh, PA .CULT BLOOD SET #3 | $72.60 | $121.00 | Feb 2, 2026 source file |
| Monogahela Valley Hospital Monongahela · Pittsburgh, PA BLOOD CULTURE | $72.60 | $121.00 | Feb 2, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Cole Coudersport · Coudersport, PA BLOOD CULTURE | $73.80 | $123.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Bedford Everett · Everett, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $75.00 | $125.00 | — source file |
| Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center Johnstown · Johnstown, PA Culture, bacterial; blood, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates (includes anaerobic culture, if appropriate) | $82.80 | $207.00 | Apr 15, 2026 source file |
| Lankenau Medical Center Wynnewood · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Hc Blood Culture | $84.80 | $212.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Paoli Hospital Paoli · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Hc Blood Culture | $84.80 | $212.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Riddle Memorial Hospital Media · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Hc Blood Culture | $84.80 | $212.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Bryn Mawr Hospital Bryn Mawr · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Hc Blood Culture | $84.80 | $212.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Butler Memorial Hospital Butler · Pittsburgh, PA Misc Microbiology | $85.40 | $122.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Mount Nittany Health State College · State College, PA CULTURE,BLOOD | $88.65 | $197.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Shriners Childrens - Philadelphia Philadelphia · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $91.20 | $91.20 | Mar 19, 2026 source file |
| Warren General Hospital Warren · Warren, PA CULTURE BLOOD X 1 W/PRESUMP ID | $93.00 | $93.00 | Sep 24, 2026 source file |
| Indiana Regional Medical Center Indiana · Indiana, PA Transfusion Reaction Unit | $103.32 | $287.00 | Feb 24, 2026 source file |
| St Mary Medical Center Langhorne · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD HC Culture Blood | $105.30 | $162.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sharon Regional Medical Center Sharon · Hermitage, PA AEROB BACTERIAL BLOOD CULTURE | $107.95 | $107.95 | Jul 4, 2024 source file |
| UPMC Horizon - Greenville Greenville · Hermitage, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $112.80 | $188.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Altoona Altoona · Altoona, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $115.80 | $193.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Brookville Brookville · Brookville, PA Blood Culture | $121.00 | $121.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Clearfield Clearfield · DuBois, PA Blood Culture | $121.00 | $121.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Dubois DuBois · DuBois, PA Blood Culture | $121.00 | $121.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Elk Saint Marys · St. Marys, PA Blood Culture | $121.00 | $121.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Huntingdon Huntingdon · Huntingdon, PA Blood Culture | $121.00 | $121.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Penn Highlands Tyrone Tyrone · Altoona, PA Blood Culture | $121.00 | $121.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Chan Soon-Shiong Medical Center at Windber Windber · Somerset, PA CULTURE BLOOD A/A #1 | $122.40 | $144.00 | Feb 25, 2026 source file |
| Troy Community Hospital Troy · Sayre, PA Culture Blood | $123.60 | $154.50 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Northwest Seneca · Oil City, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $137.40 | $229.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Wayne Memorial Hospital Honesdale · Honesdale, PA CULTURE BLOOD 1 | $143.50 | $205.00 | Sep 16, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $146.40 | $244.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Nazareth Hospital Philadelphia · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD HC Culture Blood | $155.35 | $239.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $155.40 | $259.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC East Monroeville · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $155.40 | $259.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Robert Packer Hospital, Towanda Campus Towanda · Sayre, PA Culture Blood | $169.92 | $212.40 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital Darby · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD HC Culture Blood | $191.10 | $294.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| UPMC St Margaret Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $200.40 | $334.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Robert Packer Hospital Sayre · Sayre, PA Culture Blood | $206.72 | $258.40 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| UPMC McKeesport McKeesport · Pittsburgh, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $225.00 | $375.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Hamot Erie · Erie, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $240.00 | $400.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA HC CULTURE BLOOD | $308.40 | $514.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Geisinger St Luke's Hospital - Orwigsburg Campus Orwigsburg · Pottsville, PA HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $313.20 | $348.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Miners Campus Coaldale · Pottsville, PA HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $313.20 | $348.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Allentown Campus Allentown · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Anderson Campus Easton · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Bethlehem Campus Bethlehem · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Carbon Campus Lehighton · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Easton Campus Easton · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Lehighton Campus Lehighton · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Monroe Campus Stroudsburg · East Stroudsburg, PA HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Sacred Heart Campus Allentown · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $315.40 | $380.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Passavant - McCandless Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA HC CULTURE BLOOD | $322.20 | $537.00 | Mar 7, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Muncy Muncy · Williamsport, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $399.60 | $666.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Wellsboro Wellsboro · Wellsboro, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $399.60 | $666.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Williamsport Williamsport · Williamsport, PA CULTURE BLOOD | $399.60 | $666.00 | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Grand View Campus Sellersville · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $450.90 | $501.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Hospital - Upper Bucks Campus Quakertown · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD HB BLOOD CULTURE FOR BACTERIA | $450.90 | $501.00 | Feb 26, 2026 source file |
| Evangelical Community Hospital Lewisburg · Lewisburg, PA Bacterial Blood Culture | $582.20 | $727.75 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Culture, Blood- Hup | $694.98 | $694.98 | Dec 31, 2025 source file |
| UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, PA CULT BACTERIAL AEROBIC BLOOD | $783.60 | $1,306.00 | Mar 6, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | 23 | $15.60 | $71.28 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 12 | $65.84 | $98.25 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 7 | $315.40 | $315.40 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 5 | $16.01 | $22.20 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 4 | $42.40 | $49.70 |
| Hermitage, PA | 3 | $67.76 | $107.95 |
| Lancaster, PA | 3 | $19.42 | $43.20 |
| Sayre, PA | 3 | $123.60 | $169.92 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 3 | $28.08 | $48.87 |
| Altoona, PA | 2 | $115.80 | $118.40 |
| Chambersburg, PA | 2 | $51.20 | $51.20 |
| DuBois, PA | 2 | $121.00 | $121.00 |
| Erie, PA | 2 | $69.28 | $154.64 |
| Oil City, PA | 2 | $34.20 | $85.80 |
| Pottsville, PA | 2 | $313.20 | $313.20 |
| Somerset, PA | 2 | $57.00 | $89.70 |
| Williamsport, PA | 2 | $399.60 | $399.60 |
| Brookville, PA | 1 | $121.00 | $121.00 |
| Bradford, PA | 1 | $56.40 | $56.40 |
| Clarion, PA | 1 | $28.00 | $28.00 |
| Coudersport, PA | 1 | $73.80 | $73.80 |
| Everett, PA | 1 | $75.00 | $75.00 |
| East Stroudsburg, PA | 1 | $315.40 | $315.40 |
| Gettysburg, PA | 1 | $42.40 | $42.40 |
| Honesdale, PA | 1 | $143.50 | $143.50 |
| Huntingdon, PA | 1 | $121.00 | $121.00 |
| Indiana, PA | 1 | $103.32 | $103.32 |
| Johnstown, PA | 1 | $82.80 | $82.80 |
| Lebanon, PA | 1 | $43.20 | $43.20 |
| Lewisburg, PA | 1 | $582.20 | $582.20 |
| Meadville, PA | 1 | $54.60 | $54.60 |
| Punxsutawney, PA | 1 | $29.52 | $29.52 |
| Reading, PA | 1 | $17.43 | $17.43 |
| St. Marys, PA | 1 | $121.00 | $121.00 |
| State College, PA | 1 | $88.65 | $88.65 |
| Waynesburg, PA | 1 | $32.80 | $32.80 |
| Wellsboro, PA | 1 | $399.60 | $399.60 |
| Warren, PA | 1 | $93.00 | $93.00 |
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
- Alabama$81.98
- 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$128.43
- Iowa$91.80
- Kansas$78.30
- Kentucky$112.10
- Louisiana$45.59
- 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$141.56
- New York$62.83
- North Carolina$152.11
- North Dakota$85.00
- Ohio$93.60
- Oklahoma$67.55
- Oregon$110.16
- 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.