Prices at 5 hospitals in New Orleans, LA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $71 — 19% below the US median ($87), roughly 4.2× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner Medical Center Acute | New Orleans, LA | $26 | $24 | ★ 4/5 | 168 min | 16.2% |
| University Medical Center New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | $39 | $17 | ★ 2/5 | 353 min | 15.5% |
| St Charles Surgical Hospital | New Orleans, LA | $71 | — | — | — | 14.9% |
| New Orleans East Hospital | New Orleans, LA | $76 | $17 | — | 137 min | 14.9% |
| Childrens Hospital | New Orleans, LA | $128 | $18 | — | — | — |
CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated August 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $71 — about 4.2× the Medicare rate ($17). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($34).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $201 list price could save about $130 (65%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test prices in Louisiana → · All Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test prices (national) · All hospitals in New Orleans