Arterial blood gas (ABG) is a laboratory test. Prices are from 2254 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $154 — about 5.9× the Medicare rate ($26). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($52).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $269 list price could save about $115 (43%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport | Shreveport, LA | $23 | $26 | ★ 2/5 | 247 min | 15.8% |
| El Paso Children's Hospital | El Paso, TX | $24 | $48 | — | — | — |
| Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast | Miramar Beach, FL | $24 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 181 min | 14.6% |
| Maple Grove Hospital | Maple Grove, MN | $25 | $28 | ★ 5/5 | 184 min | 14.9% |
| Windom Area Health | Windom, MN | $25 | $24 | — | 108 min | 14.7% |
| Capital Medical Center | Olympia, WA | $25 | $33 | ★ 3/5 | 145 min | 15.1% |
| University Medical Center of El Paso | El Paso, TX | $25 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 242 min | 15.4% |
| Acadia General Hospital | Crowley, LA | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 108 min | 15.4% |
| Riverview Regional Medical Center | Gadsden, AL | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 160 min | 15.7% |
| Paradise Valley Hospital | National City, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 202 min | 16.0% |
| Saint Francis Medical Center | Lynwood, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 250 min | 14.9% |
| Encino Hospital Medical Center | Encino, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 135 min | 15.6% |
| Garden Grove Hospital & Medical Center | Garden Grove, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 2/5 | 138 min | 16.6% |
| West Anaheim Medical Center | Anaheim, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 2/5 | 196 min | 16.6% |
| Huntington Beach Hospital | Huntington Beach, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 1/5 | 173 min | 14.8% |
| La Palma Intercommunity Hospital | La Palma, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 214 min | 16.5% |
| Chino Valley Medical Center | Chino, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 4/5 | 173 min | 16.1% |
| San Dimas Community Hospital | San Dimas, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 2/5 | 155 min | 15.5% |
| Desert Valley Hospital | Victorville, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 173 min | 15.8% |
| Centinela Hospital Medical Center | Inglewood, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 2/5 | 202 min | 17.3% |
| Sherman Oaks Hospital | Sherman Oaks, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 2/5 | 153 min | 15.8% |
| Montclair Hospital Medical Center | Montclair, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 3/5 | 151 min | 15.3% |
| Shasta Regional Medical Center | Redding, CA | $26 | $26 | ★ 2/5 | 148 min | 15.9% |
| Southern Regional Medical Center | Riverdale, GA | $26 | $26 | ★ 1/5 | 260 min | 15.5% |
| Southeastern Regional Medical Center, Inc | Newnan, GA | $26 | $26 | ★ 5/5 | — | 15.7% |
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.
What insurers pay for Arterial blood gas (ABG)
Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $154; Medicare pays $26.
| Insurer | Hospitals | Negotiated median |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid | 352 |
$7 – $154 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 1527 |
$20 – $268 |
| Tricare / VA | 440 |
$25 – $187 |
| Medicare | 569 |
$26 – $141 |
| EmblemHealth | 63 |
$16 – $81 |
| Independent Health | 51 |
$20 – $32 |
| Amerigroup | 176 |
$16 – $81 |
| Devoted Health | 248 |
$26 – $82 |
| Humana | 1062 |
$22 – $245 |
| Molina Healthcare | 564 |
$16 – $120 |
| MVP Health Care | 78 |
$23 – $207 |
| AmeriHealth | 251 |
$7 – $141 |
| Centene / Ambetter | 803 |
$22 – $172 |
| Univera | 15 |
$16 – $114 |
| Anthem | 586 |
$21 – $206 |
| Highmark | 126 |
$17 – $138 |
| Geisinger | 68 |
$26 – $170 |
| Bright Health | 64 |
$26 – $178 |
| UCare | 63 |
$26 – $174 |
| Oscar Health | 215 |
$27 – $173 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 1308 |
$23 – $261 |
| Workers' Comp / No-Fault | 142 |
$31 – $379 |
| UPMC Health Plan | 99 |
$26 – $135 |
| SelectHealth | 47 |
$25 – $228 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 232 |
$25 – $347 |
| Medica | 237 |
$26 – $285 |
| Health Net | 300 |
$26 – $649 |
| Priority Health | 51 |
$14 – $188 |
| Harvard Pilgrim | 51 |
$26 – $228 |
| Aetna | 1413 |
$26 – $354 |
| Cigna | 1173 |
$26 – $414 |
| HealthPartners | 258 |
$26 – $313 |
| AvMed | 60 |
$14 – $463 |
| Security Health Plan | 53 |
$26 – $221 |
| Sanford Health Plan | 70 |
$26 – $268 |
| Coventry | 153 |
$28 – $347 |
| MultiPlan / PHCS network | 861 |
$67 – $606 |
| Healthcare Highways | 48 |
$77 – $725 |
Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.
Where it’s cheapest
| State | Median cash |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $29 |
| Rhode Island | $45 |
| Tennessee | $74 |
| New York | $82 |
| Maryland | $89 |
| Puerto Rico | $90 |
Prices by city
Prices by state
Doctors who perform this
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Sager, MD | Pulmonary Disease | Santa Barbara, CA | 200 |
| Richard Belkin, MD | Pulmonary Disease | Santa Barbara, CA | 150 |
| Asad Qamar, M.D. | Cardiology | Ocala, FL | 117 |
| Arin Aboulian, MD | Pulmonary Disease | Glendale, CA | 111 |
| Young Ko, MD | Internal Medicine | Lancaster, CA | 100 |
| Robert Wright, MD | Pulmonary Disease | Santa Barbara, CA | 72 |
| Murali Chakinala, MD | Pulmonary Disease | Saint Louis, MO | 46 |
| Arunabh Talwar, MD | Pulmonary Disease | New Hyde Park, NY | 45 |
| Michael Marshall, MD | Pulmonary Disease | West Columbia, SC | 35 |
| Fahid Alghanim, MD | Pulmonary Disease | Danville, VA | 35 |
| Colleen Mcevoy, MD | Pulmonary Disease | Saint Louis, MO | 33 |
| Elizabeth Seymour, MD | Family Practice | Denton, TX | 30 |
Does Medicare cover Arterial blood gas (ABG)?
Yes — Medicare generally covers Arterial blood gas (ABG). It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $26. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $5 — unless a Medicare Advantage or supplemental (Medigap) plan covers it.
General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.
About these prices
Based on prices published by 2254 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $154, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $269, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $54, a Medicare rate of about $26. Most cash prices fall between $45 and $464 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.
How to save
- Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
- Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
- Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
- Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
- If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Arterial blood gas (ABG) cost without insurance?
Does Medicare cover Arterial blood gas (ABG)?
What does Medicare pay for Arterial blood gas (ABG)?
Why do Arterial blood gas (ABG) prices vary between hospitals?
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
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