Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Iowa
In Iowa, 77 hospitals publish a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid): from $12.00 to $193.70, with a median of $60.45. The lowest price is at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center (Storm Lake). The highest price is 16.1× the lowest.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 87070. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 29, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$12.00Buena Vista Regional Medical Center
Median$60.45half of hospitals charge less
Highest$193.70in Iowa
Lowest saves$48.45vs the median
Hospitals in Iowa, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center lowest Storm Lake · Storm Lake, IA CHG CULTURE SPEC, BACTERIA, NOT URINE,STOOL,BLOOD | $12.00 | $15.00 | — source file |
| Alegent Health - Mercy Hospital, Corning Iowa Corning · Corning, IA HC RHC CULTR SPECMN BACT | $12.96 | $27.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital and Nursing Home Carroll · Carroll, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $13.00 | $13.00 | Jul 14, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health Community Memorial Hospital of Missouri Valley, Iowa Missouri Valley · Omaha, NE-IA HC RHC CULTR SPECMN BACT | $13.23 | $27.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Story County Hospital Nevada · Ames, IA CULTURE W/O SMEAR M/P/E/O/S1/L1/PL/J/G1 | $16.80 | $21.00 | — source file |
| Boone County Hospital Boone · Ames, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $21.60 | $27.00 | Jul 27, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt · Clinton, IA Legionella Species Culture-Sendout | $29.40 | $49.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital Lake City · Lake City, IA CULT EAR L/M/R/W/E/O/J/S1/L1/PL/C1/P/G1 | $32.00 | $40.00 | Oct 8, 2024 source file |
| Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA Sputum Culture | $32.10 | $107.00 | Feb 15, 2026 source file |
| Loring Hospital Sac City · Sac City, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $32.38 | $40.48 | — source file |
| Spencer Municipal Hospital Spencer · Spencer, IA Culture Bacteria Oth | $35.25 | $47.00 | — source file |
| Hawarden Regional Healthcare Harwarden · Harwarden, IA YEAST CULTURE | $36.55 | $43.00 | — source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center Grinnell · Grinnell, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Methodist Hospital Cedar Rapids · Cedar Rapids, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center Sioux City · Sioux City, IA-NE-SD HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| The Finley Hospital Dubuque · Dubuque, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity - Bettendorf Bettendorf · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center Fort Dodge · Fort Dodge, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Unity Healthcare Muscatine · Muscatine, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Jones Regional Medical Center Anamosa · Cedar Rapids, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health Marshalltown Marshalltown · Marshalltown, IA HC BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE | $38.58 | $48.22 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Grundy County Memorial Hospital Grundy Center · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA CULTURE EAR/EYE D/S/N/F1/A/G/F/W1 | $41.20 | $51.50 | Jun 29, 2026 source file |
| Adair County Memorial Hospital Greenfield · Greenfield, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $41.25 | $55.00 | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| Broadlawns Medical Center Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Culture Othr Specimn Aerobic | $44.00 | $44.00 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Decatur County Hospital Leon · Leon, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $44.80 | $56.00 | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
| Orange City Municipal Hospital Orange City · Orange City, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $46.40 | $58.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Superficial Culture/Aer | $51.60 | $86.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Greene County Medical Center Jefferson · Jefferson, IA CULT TISSUE & GRAM E/J/L/M/O/P/R/W/C1/S1/L1/PL/G1/M2 | $53.20 | $95.00 | — source file |
| Manning Regional Healthcare Center Manning · Carroll, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $53.25 | $75.00 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Floyd County Memorial Hospital Commission Charles City · Charles City, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $53.46 | $133.65 | Aug 31, 2026 source file |
| Veterans Memorial Hospital City of Waukon Ia Waukon · Waukon, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $55.86 | $98.00 | May 11, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL GHS CULTURE, THROAT | $57.00 | $95.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA HC CULTURE - SPUTUM | $57.12 | $136.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinic West Union · West Union, IA CULTURE, BACTERIAL; MISC (NONPT SOURCE) | $58.81 | $99.00 | Jun 27, 2026 source file |
| Knoxville Hospital & Clinics Knoxville · Pella, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $59.40 | $99.00 | Jan 24, 2026 source file |
| Regional Medical Center Manchester · Manchester, IA CULTURE OTHR SPECIMN AEROBIC | $60.00 | $75.00 | — source file |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC Culture Eye | $60.45 | $93.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sartori Memorial Hospital Cedar Falls · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC Culture Genital | $60.45 | $93.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Waverly Health Center Waverly · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $62.92 | $121.00 | Mar 3, 2026 source file |
| Cass County Memorial Hospital Atlantic · Atlantic, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $66.50 | $95.00 | Jun 1, 2026 source file |
| WinnMed Decorah · Decorah, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $67.20 | $96.00 | Jul 17, 2026 source file |
| Washington County Hospital Washington · Iowa City, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $67.50 | $90.00 | Sep 8, 2026 source file |
| Palo Alto County Hospital Emmetsburg · Emmetsburg, IA Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $69.75 | $93.00 | — source file |
| Sanford Sheldon Medical Center Sheldon · Sheldon, IA CULTURE: BACT OTHER 87070 | $79.20 | $99.00 | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
| Van Diest Medical Center Webster City · Webster City, IA CULTURE OTHER | $80.00 | $100.00 | Feb 5, 2026 source file |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital-Clarion Clarion · Clarion, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $80.40 | $134.00 | Jun 11, 2026 source file |
| Avera Holy Family Hospital Estherville · Estherville, IA | $81.48 | $84.00 | — source file |
| Dallas County Hospital Perry · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA CULTURE ROUTINE | $83.00 | $127.00 | — source file |
| Belmond Community Hospital Belmond · Belmond, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $85.20 | $142.00 | Apr 22, 2026 source file |
| Wayne County Hospital Corydon · Corydon, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $88.00 | $88.00 | Jun 10, 2026 source file |
| Clarinda Regional Health Center Clarinda · Clarinda, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $89.21 | $151.20 | Jul 13, 2026 source file |
| Monroe County Hospital Albia · Albia, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $89.40 | $149.00 | Sep 9, 2026 source file |
| Avera Merrill Pioneer Rock Rapids · Rock Rapids, IA | $93.12 | $96.00 | — source file |
| Hancock County Health System Britt · Britt, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $93.75 | $125.00 | Jun 30, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - New Hampton New Hampton · New Hampton, IA HC Culture Genital | $94.90 | $146.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Dyersville Medical Center Dyersville · Dubuque, IA HC Culture Catheter Tip | $94.90 | $146.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Elkader Medical Center Elkader · Elkader, IA HC Culture Tissue | $94.90 | $146.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Newton Medical Center Newton · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC Culture Bacterial Other Source | $94.90 | $146.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center Oelwein · Oelwein, IA HC Culture Respiratory | $94.90 | $146.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Rawford County Memorial Hospital Denison · Denison, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $100.80 | $126.00 | Jul 27, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center Mason City · Mason City, IA HC Culture Body Fluid | $102.70 | $158.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Franklin General Hospital Hampton · Hampton, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $103.50 | $115.00 | Jul 16, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton · Clinton, IA HC Culture Sputum | $111.80 | $172.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center Dubuque · Dubuque, IA HC Culture Throat | $111.80 | $172.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sioux Center Health Sioux Center · Sioux Center, IA | $119.31 | $123.00 | — source file |
| Lakes Regional Hospital Spirit Lake · Spirit Lake, IA | $120.65 | $127.00 | — source file |
| University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down Iowa City · Iowa City, IA HB CULTURE, ROUTINE | $126.70 | $181.00 | Mar 11, 2026 source file |
| University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics Iowa City · Iowa City, IA HB CULTURE, ROUTINE | $126.70 | $181.00 | Mar 11, 2026 source file |
| Van Buren County Hospital Keosauqua · Keosauqua, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $126.70 | $181.00 | Jul 20, 2026 source file |
| Kossuth Regional Health Center Algona · Algona, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $127.20 | $159.00 | Jul 16, 2026 source file |
| Madison County Memorial Hospital Winterset · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $133.60 | $167.00 | Sep 23, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Centerville Medical Center Centerville · Centerville, IA HC Culture CSF | $146.00 | $146.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center West Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC Culture Ear | $172.00 | $172.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Hansen Family Hospital Iowa Falls · Iowa Falls, IA Bacterial culture, any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic | $177.16 | $177.16 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC Culture Bacterial Other Source | $193.70 | $298.00 | Mar 31, 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
Check the item The description in the hospital file looks like a supply or device (a catheter, a brace, an implant), not this procedure. The hospital may have filed it under the wrong code: ask before relying on this price.
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 7 | $38.58 | $94.90 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 5 | $38.58 | $60.45 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3 | $38.58 | $51.60 |
| Dubuque, IA | 3 | $38.58 | $94.90 |
| Iowa City, IA | 3 | $67.50 | $126.70 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 3 | $13.23 | $32.10 |
| Ames, IA | 2 | $16.80 | $19.20 |
| Carroll, IA | 2 | $13.00 | $33.12 |
| Clinton, IA | 2 | $29.40 | $70.60 |
| Albia, IA | 1 | $89.40 | $89.40 |
| Algona, IA | 1 | $127.20 | $127.20 |
| Atlantic, IA | 1 | $66.50 | $66.50 |
| Belmond, IA | 1 | $85.20 | $85.20 |
| Britt, IA | 1 | $93.75 | $93.75 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $38.58 | $38.58 |
| Centerville, IA | 1 | $146.00 | $146.00 |
| Charles City, IA | 1 | $53.46 | $53.46 |
| Clarinda, IA | 1 | $89.21 | $89.21 |
| Clarion, IA | 1 | $80.40 | $80.40 |
| Corning, IA | 1 | $12.96 | $12.96 |
| Corydon, IA | 1 | $88.00 | $88.00 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $38.58 | $38.58 |
| Decorah, IA | 1 | $67.20 | $67.20 |
| Denison, IA | 1 | $100.80 | $100.80 |
| Elkader, IA | 1 | $94.90 | $94.90 |
| Emmetsburg, IA | 1 | $69.75 | $69.75 |
| Estherville, IA | 1 | $81.48 | $81.48 |
| Fort Dodge, IA | 1 | $38.58 | $38.58 |
| Greenfield, IA | 1 | $41.25 | $41.25 |
| Grinnell, IA | 1 | $38.58 | $38.58 |
| Hampton, IA | 1 | $103.50 | $103.50 |
| Harwarden, IA | 1 | $36.55 | $36.55 |
| Iowa Falls, IA | 1 | $177.16 | $177.16 |
| Jefferson, IA | 1 | $53.20 | $53.20 |
| Keosauqua, IA | 1 | $126.70 | $126.70 |
| Lake City, IA | 1 | $32.00 | $32.00 |
| Leon, IA | 1 | $44.80 | $44.80 |
| Manchester, IA | 1 | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Marshalltown, IA | 1 | $38.58 | $38.58 |
| Mason City, IA | 1 | $102.70 | $102.70 |
| Muscatine, IA | 1 | $38.58 | $38.58 |
| New Hampton, IA | 1 | $94.90 | $94.90 |
| Oelwein, IA | 1 | $94.90 | $94.90 |
| Orange City, IA | 1 | $46.40 | $46.40 |
| Pella, IA | 1 | $59.40 | $59.40 |
| Rock Rapids, IA | 1 | $93.12 | $93.12 |
| Sac City, IA | 1 | $32.38 | $32.38 |
| Sheldon, IA | 1 | $79.20 | $79.20 |
| Sioux Center, IA | 1 | $119.31 | $119.31 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1 | $38.58 | $38.58 |
| Spencer, IA | 1 | $35.25 | $35.25 |
| Spirit Lake, IA | 1 | $120.65 | $120.65 |
| Storm Lake, IA | 1 | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Waukon, IA | 1 | $55.86 | $55.86 |
| Webster City, IA | 1 | $80.00 | $80.00 |
| West Union, IA | 1 | $58.81 | $58.81 |
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 it is
A bacterial culture grows bacteria from a sample such as a wound, throat swab, eye or fluid to find which germ causes an infection. It takes one to three days.
What the price covers
The price usually covers running the test; collecting the sample may be billed separately.
Bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid) in other states
- Alabama$76.99
- Alaska$144.65
- Arizona$67.60
- Arkansas$38.48
- California$133.00
- Colorado$99.60
- Connecticut$48.32
- Delaware$199.38
- District of Columbia$89.70
- Florida$86.20
- Georgia$82.46
- Hawaii$80.40
- Idaho$58.88
- Illinois$90.00
- Indiana$93.42
- Kansas$58.75
- Kentucky$103.20
- Louisiana$29.24
- Maine$61.51
- Maryland$112.37
- Massachusetts$40.00
- Michigan$53.00
- Minnesota$66.72
- Mississippi$53.04
- Missouri$68.30
- Montana$65.00
- Nebraska$77.42
- Nevada$112.00
- New Hampshire$92.10
- New Jersey$29.16
- New Mexico$84.78
- New York$38.38
- North Carolina$77.74
- North Dakota$64.80
- Ohio$68.50
- Oklahoma$44.13
- Oregon$52.38
- Pennsylvania$61.70
- Puerto Rico$30.00
- Rhode Island$68.80
- South Carolina$123.54
- South Dakota$89.18
- Tennessee$40.20
- Texas$69.48
- Utah$102.73
- Vermont$84.27
- Virginia$68.95
- Washington$88.20
- West Virginia$50.50
- Wisconsin$77.35
- Wyoming$73.60
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.