Bacterial culture (wound) cost in Tennessee
In Tennessee, 89 hospitals publish a cash price for bacterial culture of a sample other than urine, blood or stool (wound, throat, fluid): from $9.17 to $1,200.96, with a median of $40.20. The lowest price is at Hardin County General Hospital (Savannah). The highest price is 131.0× 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 Oct 2, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$9.17Hardin County General Hospital
Median$40.20half of hospitals charge less
Highest$1,200.96in Tennessee
Lowest saves$31.03vs the median
Hospitals in Tennessee, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County General Hospital lowest Savannah · Savannah, TN Ear Culture | $9.17 | $24.00 | — source file |
| Saint Thomas Hospital for Specialty Surgery Nashville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Aerobic Culture | $11.21 | $51.00 | Apr 14, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Lebonheur Childrens Hosp Memphis · Memphis, TN-MS-AR HC Cx Bact Isolation Body Fluid & Gram Stai | $13.20 | $60.00 | — source file |
| Hancock County Hospital Sneedville · Sneedville, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $14.72 | $64.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Johnson County Community Hospital Mountain City · Mountain City, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $14.72 | $64.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Bristol Regional Medical Center Bristol · Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Franklin Woods Community Hospital Johnson City · Johnson City, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Greeneville Community Hospital Greeneville · Greeneville, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Hawkins County Memorial Hospital Rogersville · Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Holston Valley Medical Center Kingsport · Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Indian Path Community Hospital Kingsport · Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| Johnson City Medical Center Johnson City · Johnson City, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | — source file |
| Sycamore Shoals Hospital Elizabethton · Johnson City, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $15.15 | $101.00 | Mar 23, 2026 source file |
| STRHS Winchester Winchester · Winchester, TN Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $16.94 | $68.59 | — source file |
| Houston County Community Hospital Lexington · Lexington, TN ANTIBODY SCREEN (LIFELINE) | $17.24 | $43.10 | — source file |
| Claiborne Medical Center Tazewell · Tazewell, TN CULT BACTERIAL AEROB | $17.36 | $62.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| CHI Memorial Hospital - Hixson Hixson · Chattanooga, TN-GA HC LAB CULT-BACT OTH SOURCE | $19.54 | $66.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Sweetwater Hospital Association Sweetwater · Sweetwater, TN CULTURE GC | $21.26 | $47.25 | — source file |
| Tristar Horizon Medical Center Dickson · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI | $23.51 | $23.51 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Hendersonville Medical Center Portland · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE CATHETER TIP | $23.92 | $23.92 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Leconte Medical Center Sevierville · Sevierville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $25.23 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Morristown Hamblen Hospital Association Morristown · Morristown, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $26.10 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Parkwest Medical Center Knoxville · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $26.10 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Methodist North Hospital Memphis · Memphis, TN-MS-AR HC Cx Bact Isolation Body Fluid & Gram Stai | $26.40 | $120.00 | — source file |
| Methodist South Hospital Memphis · Memphis, TN-MS-AR HC Cx Bact Isolation Body Fluid & Gram Stai | $26.40 | $120.00 | — source file |
| Methodist University Hospital Memphis · Memphis, TN-MS-AR HC Cx Bact Isolation Body Fluid & Gram Stai | $26.40 | $120.00 | — source file |
| Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital Germantown · Memphis, TN-MS-AR HC Cx Bact Isolation Body Fluid & Gram Stai | $26.40 | $120.00 | — source file |
| Cumberland Medical Center Crossville · Crossville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $27.84 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Memorial Health Care System Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN-GA HC LAB CULT-BACT OTH SOURCE | $27.92 | $66.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Fort Loudoun Medical Center Lenoir City · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $28.71 | $87.00 | Aug 27, 2026 source file |
| Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center Knoxville · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $28.71 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge Oak Ridge · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $28.71 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Roane County Medical Center Harriman · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $28.71 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Northcrest Medical Center Springfield · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE CATHETER TIP | $30.17 | $30.17 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Macon Community Hospital Lafayette · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN SPUTUM CULTURE 182354 LC | $31.02 | $51.70 | — source file |
| DeKalb Community Hospital Smithville · Smithville, TN CULTURE AEROBE | $37.28 | $124.25 | — source file |
| Saint Thomas Highlands Hospital Sparta · Cookeville, TN CULTURE AEROBE | $37.28 | $124.25 | — source file |
| Saint Thomas River Park Hospital McMinnville · McMinnville, TN CULTURE AEROBE | $37.28 | $124.25 | — source file |
| Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital Murfreesboro · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE AEROBE | $37.28 | $124.25 | — source file |
| Saint Thomas West Hospital Harding Pk Nashville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE AEROBE | $37.28 | $124.25 | — source file |
| Stones River Hospital Woodbury · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE AEROBE | $37.28 | $124.25 | — source file |
| Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Shelbyville · Shelbyville, TN HC CULTURE BACT BODY FLUID | $37.99 | $131.00 | Oct 1, 2025 source file |
| Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital Tullahoma · Tullahoma-Manchester, TN HC CULTURE BACT ABSCESS | $37.99 | $131.00 | Oct 1, 2025 source file |
| Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital Lebanon · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HC CULT BACT RESP CF | $37.99 | $131.00 | Oct 1, 2025 source file |
| Jackson-Madison County General Hospital Jackson · Jackson, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $40.20 | $134.00 | Jun 5, 2026 source file |
| West Tennessee Healthcare Bolivar Hospital Bolivar · Bolivar, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $40.20 | $134.00 | Jun 2, 2026 source file |
| West Tennessee Healthcare Camden Hospital Camden · Camden, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $40.20 | $134.00 | Jun 2, 2026 source file |
| West Tennessee Healthcare Dyersburg Hospital Dyersburg · Dyersburg, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $40.20 | $134.00 | Jun 2, 2026 source file |
| West Tennessee Healthcare Milan Hospital Milan · Jackson, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $40.20 | $134.00 | Jun 2, 2026 source file |
| West Tennessee Healthcare Volunteer Hospital Martin · Martin, TN HC CUL BACT XCPT URINE BLOOD/STOOL AEROBIC ISOL | $40.20 | $134.00 | Jun 2, 2026 source file |
| Williamson Medical Center Franklin · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE GC | $47.93 | $85.00 | — source file |
| Lincoln Medical Center Fayetteville · Fayetteville, TN CULTURE PERTUSSIS | $48.82 | $103.00 | — source file |
| Rhea Medical Center Dayton · Dayton, TN B PERTUSSIS CULTURE | $50.08 | $73.65 | — source file |
| Erlanger Bledsoe Hospital Pikeville · Pikeville, TN HC Culture Bacterial Except Urine Blood/Stool | $51.73 | $179.00 | Jan 25, 2026 source file |
| Peninsula Hospital Louisville · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIAL OTHER SOURCE | $54.81 | $87.00 | Aug 5, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City Union City · Union City, TN CULTURE AEROBIC SOURCE OTHER THAN BLOOD/URINE/STOOL | $55.80 | $279.00 | Feb 25, 2026 source file |
| Maury Regional Hospital Marshall Medical Center Lewisburg · Lewisburg, TN Catheter Tip Culture | $59.45 | $145.00 | — source file |
| Wayne Medical Center Waynesboro · Waynesboro, TN Bronchial Brush Culture | $59.45 | $145.00 | — source file |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HC CULTURE BACT ABSCESS | $70.74 | $131.00 | Oct 1, 2025 source file |
| Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital Clarksville · Clarksville, TN-KY CULTURE BACTERIA OTH | $70.86 | $365.22 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Summit Medical Center Mt Juliet · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE GENITAL | $71.00 | $71.00 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Physicians Regional Medical Center Powell · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIA OTH | $71.55 | $315.91 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Lafollette Medical Center Lafollette · Knoxville, TN CULTURE BACTERIA OTH | $85.30 | $315.91 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Metro Nashville General Hospital Nashville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Culture Tissue w/ Anaerobes Prelim AEL | $89.40 | $149.00 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Unity Medical Center Manchester · Tullahoma-Manchester, TN CULTURE THROAT #008342 | $91.20 | $114.00 | — source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Carroll County Huntingdon · Huntingdon, TN CULTURE AEROBIC SOURCE OTHER THAN BLOOD/URINE/STOOL | $93.15 | $405.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Erlanger Health Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN-GA HC Culture Bacterial Except Urine Blood/Stool | $94.51 | $179.00 | Jan 25, 2026 source file |
| Sumner Regional Medical Center Gallatin · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $115.23 | $494.55 | — source file |
| STRHS Pulaski Pulaski · Pulaski, TN Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $123.48 | $421.42 | — source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville Collierville · Memphis, TN-MS-AR CULTURE AEROBIC SOURCE OTHER THAN BLOOD/URINE/STOOL | $125.16 | $596.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis Memphis · Memphis, TN-MS-AR CULTURE AEROBIC SOURCE OTHER THAN BLOOD/URINE/STOOL | $125.16 | $596.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Women's Memphis · Memphis, TN-MS-AR CULTURE AEROBIC SOURCE OTHER THAN BLOOD/URINE/STOOL | $125.16 | $596.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Riverview Regional Medical Center Carthage · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $134.30 | $411.95 | — source file |
| Starr Regional Medical Center - Athens Athens · Athens, TN Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $136.76 | $697.76 | — source file |
| West Tennessee Healthcare Henry County Hospital Paris · Paris, TN CULTURE-THROAT | $138.00 | $138.00 | Jun 2, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton Covington · Memphis, TN-MS-AR CULTURE AEROBIC SOURCE OTHER THAN BLOOD/URINE/STOOL | $143.04 | $596.00 | Feb 27, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Southern Hills Medical Center Nashville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI | $146.38 | $146.38 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Regional One Health Memphis · Memphis, TN-MS-AR 87070781822 - MT LAB BACTERIAL CULTURE - OTHR SOURCE 8 | $147.74 | $269.59 | — source file |
| STRHS Lawrenceburg Lawrenceburg · Lawrenceburg, TN Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $184.98 | $742.89 | — source file |
| Tristar Stonecrest Medical Center Smyrna · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE CATHETER TIP | $207.59 | $207.59 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Trousdale Medical Center Hartsville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Culture, bacterial; any other source except urine, blood or stool, aerobic, with isolation and presumptive identification of isolates | $209.03 | $412.28 | — source file |
| Parkridge Medical Center Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN-GA CULTURE OTH SPEC AEROBIC | $209.59 | $209.59 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Parkridge Valley Hospital Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN-GA CULTURE OTH SPEC AEROBIC | $209.59 | $209.59 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Skyline Medical Center Nashville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI | $217.74 | $217.74 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Parkridge East Hospital East Ridge · Chattanooga, TN-GA CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI | $271.01 | $271.01 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Parkridge West Hospital Jasper · Chattanooga, TN-GA CULT ENVIRON EPIDEMI | $271.01 | $271.01 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Pinewood Springs Columbia · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULT THROAT | $639.17 | $639.17 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Ashland City Medical Center Ashland City · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE SURGICAL SPEC | $1,052.00 | $1,052.00 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Centennial Medical Center Nashville · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN CULTURE CSF | $1,200.96 | $1,200.96 | Sep 1, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 22 | $11.21 | $70.87 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 10 | $13.20 | $75.78 |
| Knoxville, TN | 8 | $26.10 | $28.71 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 7 | $19.54 | $209.59 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 4 | $15.15 | $15.15 |
| Johnson City, TN | 3 | $15.15 | $15.15 |
| Jackson, TN | 2 | $40.20 | $40.20 |
| Tullahoma-Manchester, TN | 2 | $37.99 | $64.60 |
| Athens, TN | 1 | $136.76 | $136.76 |
| Bolivar, TN | 1 | $40.20 | $40.20 |
| Camden, TN | 1 | $40.20 | $40.20 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 1 | $70.86 | $70.86 |
| Cookeville, TN | 1 | $37.28 | $37.28 |
| Crossville, TN | 1 | $27.84 | $27.84 |
| Dayton, TN | 1 | $50.08 | $50.08 |
| Dyersburg, TN | 1 | $40.20 | $40.20 |
| Fayetteville, TN | 1 | $48.82 | $48.82 |
| Greeneville, TN | 1 | $15.15 | $15.15 |
| Huntingdon, TN | 1 | $93.15 | $93.15 |
| Lexington, TN | 1 | $17.24 | $17.24 |
| Lawrenceburg, TN | 1 | $184.98 | $184.98 |
| Lewisburg, TN | 1 | $59.45 | $59.45 |
| Mountain City, TN | 1 | $14.72 | $14.72 |
| Martin, TN | 1 | $40.20 | $40.20 |
| McMinnville, TN | 1 | $37.28 | $37.28 |
| Morristown, TN | 1 | $26.10 | $26.10 |
| Pikeville, TN | 1 | $51.73 | $51.73 |
| Pulaski, TN | 1 | $123.48 | $123.48 |
| Paris, TN | 1 | $138.00 | $138.00 |
| Savannah, TN | 1 | $9.17 | $9.17 |
| Smithville, TN | 1 | $37.28 | $37.28 |
| Sneedville, TN | 1 | $14.72 | $14.72 |
| Sweetwater, TN | 1 | $21.26 | $21.26 |
| Sevierville, TN | 1 | $25.23 | $25.23 |
| Shelbyville, TN | 1 | $37.99 | $37.99 |
| Tazewell, TN | 1 | $17.36 | $17.36 |
| Union City, TN | 1 | $55.80 | $55.80 |
| Waynesboro, TN | 1 | $59.45 | $59.45 |
| Winchester, TN | 1 | $16.94 | $16.94 |
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$103.55
- Connecticut$51.32
- Delaware$199.38
- District of Columbia$89.70
- Florida$87.63
- Georgia$82.46
- Hawaii$80.40
- Idaho$58.88
- Illinois$90.00
- Indiana$93.42
- Iowa$60.45
- Kansas$58.75
- Kentucky$103.20
- Louisiana$29.09
- 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$38.09
- 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$85.30
- 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.