COVID-19 PCR test cost in Louisiana

Prices at 56 hospitals in Louisiana, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $75 — 24% below the US median ($98), roughly 1.5× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Ochsner St Mary Morgan City, LA $19 $51 ★ 2/5 81 min 15.4%
Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent Shreveport, LA $19 $51 ★ 2/5
Slidell Memorial Hospital Slidell, LA $21 $51 ★ 2/5 203 min 16.0%
Ochsner American Legion Hospital Jennings, LA $25 $77 ★ 2/5 104 min 15.3%
West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero, LA $28 $51 ★ 3/5 154 min 15.0%
New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans, LA $28 $51 137 min 14.9%
Acadian Medical Center Eunice, LA $33 $57 ★ 3/5 113 min 15.1%
Avoyelles Hospital Marksville, LA $35 $104 ★ 1/5 79 min 15.1%
Ochsner Medical Center Acute New Orleans, LA $41 $77 ★ 4/5 168 min 16.2%
Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Monroe, LA $43 $51 ★ 3/5 155 min 15.2%
Childrens Hospital New Orleans, LA $43 $51
Rapides Regional Medical Center Alexandria, LA $46 $37 ★ 2/5 134 min 16.1%
Winn Parish Medical Center Winnfield, LA $46 $84 100 min 14.5%
Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport Shreveport, LA $48 $51 ★ 2/5 247 min 15.8%
Lallie Kemp Medical Center Independence, LA $49 $30 106 min
St Charles Parish Hospital Luling, LA $50 $51 117 min 15.2%
Ochsner Medical Center-Kenner Kenner, LA $52 $68 ★ 4/5 149 min 15.3%
Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Natchitoches, LA $55 $55 ★ 4/5 160 min 15.4%
Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA $59 $51 ★ 4/5 179 min 14.6%
St Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette, LA $59 $51 ★ 4/5 181 min 15.0%
University Medical Center New Orleans New Orleans, LA $61 $51 ★ 2/5 353 min 15.5%
Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital Slidell, LA $62 $51 14.4%
Desoto Regional Health System Mansfield, LA $63 $90 ★ 2/5 107 min 14.3%
Christus St Frances Cabrini Hospital Alexandria, LA $65 $56 ★ 3/5 211 min 16.4%
Reeves Memorial Medical Center Bernice, LA $70 $77 121 min 14.9%

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 June 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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$185
Cash / self-pay
$75
Insurer-negotiated
$54
Medicare pays
$51
$29$228
Median cash $75  ·  Medicare $51  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $75 — about 1.5× the Medicare rate ($51). Reasonable. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($103).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $185 list price could save about $110 (59%).

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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

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COVID-19 PCR test cost in other states

All COVID-19 PCR test prices (national) → · All hospitals in Louisiana →