Prices at 3 hospitals in Bakersfield, CA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $50 — 43% below the US median ($87), roughly 3.4× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield Memorial Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $34 | $18 | ★ 3/5 | 226 min | 15.2% |
| Kern Medical Center | Bakersfield, CA | $50 | $33 | ★ 1/5 | 293 min | 15.3% |
| Mercy Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $180 | $43 | ★ 3/5 | 190 min | 15.3% |
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 $50 — about 3.4× the Medicare rate ($15). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($29).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $92 list price could save about $42 (46%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Doctors who perform this in Bakersfield
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service locally. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Cartmell, M.D. | Hematology-Oncology | Bakersfield, CA | 254 |
| Sadanand Patil, M.D. | Hematology-Oncology | Bakersfield, CA | 123 |
| Edward Nichols, M.D. | Internal Medicine | Bakersfield, CA | 15 |
All Folate (folic acid) test prices in California → · All Folate (folic acid) test prices (national) · All hospitals in Bakersfield