Biopsy pathology exam cost in Iowa
In Iowa, 36 hospitals publish a cash price for biopsy tissue exam by a pathologist (level IV): from $57.00 to $562.00, with a median of $178.10. The lowest price is at MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center (Davenport). The highest price is 9.9× the lowest.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 88305. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 23, 2026.
Lowest$57.00MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center
Median$178.10half pay less
Highest$562.00in Iowa
Lowest saves$121.10vs the median
Hospitals in Iowa, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center lowest Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Pathology Specimen Lvl 4, bill-only | $57.00 | $95.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Pathology Specimen Lvl 4, bill-only | $64.20 | $107.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt · Clinton, IA 88305 AP Bill Surgical Pathology Level IV Complexity | $64.20 | $107.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA Chg Gross/Micro Surg Ref Consult | $67.80 | $226.00 | Feb 15, 2026 source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center Grinnell · Grinnell, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Methodist Hospital Cedar Rapids · Cedar Rapids, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Luke'sJones Regional Medical Center Anamosa · Cedar Rapids, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center Sioux City · Sioux City, IA-NE-SD HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| The Finley Hospital Dubuque · Dubuque, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity Medical Center Bettendorf · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center Fort Dodge · Fort Dodge, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Unity Healthcare Muscatine · Muscatine, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health Marshalltown Marshalltown · Marshalltown, IA HC SURG PATH, LEVEL-IV | $98.56 | $123.20 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinic West Union · West Union, IA SURGICAL PATHOLOGY, GROSS AND MICROSCOPIC EXAM, LEVEL 4 COSMETIC | $136.62 | $230.00 | Jun 27, 2026 source file |
| Central Community Hospital Elkader · Elkader, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $178.10 | $274.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Dyersville Dyersville · Dubuque, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $178.10 | $274.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - New Hampton New Hampton · New Hampton, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $178.10 | $274.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $178.10 | $274.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center Oelwein · Oelwein, IA HC External Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $178.10 | $274.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA HC LEVEL 4 GROSS EXAM | $186.06 | $443.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health - Mercy Hospital, Corning Iowa Corning · Corning, IA HC LEVEL 4 GROSS EXAM | $192.96 | $402.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health Community Memorial Hospital of Missouri Valley, Iowa Missouri Valley · Omaha, NE-IA HC LEVEL 4 GROSS EXAM | $196.98 | $402.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center Mason City · Mason City, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $235.30 | $362.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Dubuque Dubuque · Dubuque, IA HC External Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $243.10 | $374.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC External Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $243.10 | $374.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $247.00 | $380.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton · Clinton, IA HC External Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $250.90 | $386.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Centerville Centerville · Centerville, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $274.00 | $274.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Winneshiek Medical Center Decorah · Decorah, IA Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, intermediate complexity | $289.80 | $414.00 | Jul 17, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Sheldon Medical Center Sheldon · Sheldon, IA SURGICAL PATH LEVEL IV 88305 | $359.20 | $449.00 | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
| Avera Holy Family Hospital Estherville · Estherville, IA | $373.45 | $385.00 | — source file |
| Avera Merrill Pioneer Rock Rapids · Rock Rapids, IA | $373.45 | $385.00 | — source file |
| Sartori Memorial Hospital Cedar Falls · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $489.45 | $753.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa West Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC External Surgical Pathology Level 4 Gross & Microscopic Examination | $562.00 | $562.00 | Mar 31, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 4 | $98.56 | $210.60 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3 | $57.00 | $64.20 |
| Dubuque, IA | 3 | $98.56 | $178.10 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 3 | $67.80 | $186.06 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 3 | $98.56 | $247.00 |
| Clinton, IA | 2 | $64.20 | $157.55 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $98.56 | $98.56 |
| Centerville, IA | 1 | $274.00 | $274.00 |
| Corning, IA | 1 | $192.96 | $192.96 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $98.56 | $98.56 |
| Decorah, IA | 1 | $289.80 | $289.80 |
| Elkader, IA | 1 | $178.10 | $178.10 |
| Estherville, IA | 1 | $373.45 | $373.45 |
| Fort Dodge, IA | 1 | $98.56 | $98.56 |
| Grinnell, IA | 1 | $98.56 | $98.56 |
| Marshalltown, IA | 1 | $98.56 | $98.56 |
| Mason City, IA | 1 | $235.30 | $235.30 |
| Muscatine, IA | 1 | $98.56 | $98.56 |
| New Hampton, IA | 1 | $178.10 | $178.10 |
| Oelwein, IA | 1 | $178.10 | $178.10 |
| Rock Rapids, IA | 1 | $373.45 | $373.45 |
| Sheldon, IA | 1 | $359.20 | $359.20 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1 | $98.56 | $98.56 |
| West Union, IA | 1 | $136.62 | $136.62 |
What it is
This code covers the lab exam of a tissue sample under a microscope. Most biopsies use it, including skin, colon polyp, stomach, breast core and prostate core biopsies.
What the price covers
The price is usually for one specimen. Each separate specimen is billed again, and the pathologist's reading may be billed separately.
Biopsy tissue exam by a pathologist (level IV) in other states
- Alabama$221.51
- Alaska$217.00
- Arizona$91.14
- Arkansas$133.60
- California$197.60
- Colorado$106.60
- Connecticut$206.12
- Delaware$381.35
- Florida$116.24
- Georgia$80.63
- Hawaii$190.20
- Idaho$237.00
- Illinois$239.40
- Indiana$299.00
- Kansas$220.35
- Kentucky$220.95
- Louisiana$33.02
- Maine$146.00
- Maryland$102.25
- Massachusetts$134.40
- Michigan$114.53
- Minnesota$90.00
- Mississippi$42.63
- Missouri$187.56
- Montana$211.60
- Nebraska$186.06
- Nevada$56.00
- New Hampshire$167.75
- New Jersey$71.30
- New Mexico$120.16
- New York$179.51
- North Carolina$176.00
- North Dakota$105.60
- Ohio$203.45
- Oklahoma$159.23
- Oregon$193.65
- Pennsylvania$169.20
- Rhode Island$73.70
- South Carolina$71.80
- South Dakota$116.40
- Tennessee$44.00
- Texas$255.51
- Utah$109.20
- Vermont$245.00
- Virginia$212.40
- Washington$175.47
- West Virginia$75.25
- Wisconsin$202.15
- Wyoming$86.29
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.