Strep throat test is a laboratory test. Prices are from 2092 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $58 — about 3.5× the Medicare rate ($17). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($33).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $99 list price could save about $41 (41%).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Jefferson General Hospital | Metairie, LA | $9 | $17 | ★ 2/5 | 162 min | 15.3% |
| Acadia General Hospital | Crowley, LA | $9 | $17 | ★ 3/5 | 108 min | 15.4% |
| Saint Vincent Hospital | Erie, PA | $9 | $17 | ★ 4/5 | 212 min | 14.7% |
| Banner Boswell Medical Center | Sun City, AZ | $9 | $20 | ★ 3/5 | 227 min | 14.3% |
| CHI St Vincent Morrilton | Morrilton, AR | $9 | $18 | — | 93 min | 15.0% |
| Banner Goldfield Medical Center | Apache Junction, AZ | $9 | $18 | ★ 5/5 | 150 min | 15.3% |
| Unity Health-Jacksonville | Jacksonville, AR | $9 | — | — | 130 min | 15.2% |
| Unity Health-Newport | Newport, AR | $9 | — | — | 104 min | 15.4% |
| Jefferson Hospital | Louisville, GA | $10 | $17 | — | 92 min | 15.2% |
| Jefferson Hospital | Jefferson Hills, PA | $10 | $17 | ★ 4/5 | 172 min | 15.4% |
| Memorial Hospital of Gardena | Gardena, CA | $10 | $17 | ★ 1/5 | 132 min | 16.3% |
| Hendricks Community Hospital | Hendricks, MN | $10 | — | — | 111 min | — |
| Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center | Sun City West, AZ | $10 | $20 | ★ 3/5 | 239 min | 15.1% |
| Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center | Niagara Falls, NY | $10 | $17 | ★ 1/5 | 236 min | 15.3% |
| Banner Casa Grande Medical Center | Casa Grande, AZ | $10 | $22 | ★ 2/5 | 175 min | 16.6% |
| Ochsner American Legion Hospital | Jennings, LA | $11 | $18 | ★ 2/5 | 104 min | 15.3% |
| University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Eaton | Charlotte, MI | $11 | $17 | ★ 1/5 | 152 min | 15.0% |
| Sparrow Ionia Hospital | Ionia, MI | $11 | $16 | ★ 2/5 | 158 min | 15.2% |
| Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital | Camden, NJ | $11 | — | ★ 2/5 | 161 min | 15.4% |
| Virtua Willingboro Hospital | Willingboro, NJ | $11 | — | ★ 3/5 | 181 min | 14.8% |
| Loma Linda University Medical Center | Loma Linda, CA | $11 | $17 | ★ 4/5 | 464 min | 14.9% |
| Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta | Murrieta, CA | $11 | $17 | ★ 2/5 | 226 min | 16.4% |
| Loma Linda University Children's Hospital | Loma Linda, CA | $11 | $17 | ★ 3/5 | 222 min | — |
| Loma Linda VA Medical Center | Loma Linda, CA | $11 | $17 | ★ 3/5 | — | 14.7% |
| Canonsburg General Hospital | Canonsburg, PA | $11 | $16 | ★ 3/5 | 155 min | 15.6% |
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 Strep throat test
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: $58; Medicare pays $17.
| Insurer | Hospitals | Negotiated median |
|---|---|---|
| Geisinger | 59 |
$8 – $66 |
| Independent Health | 51 |
$6 – $17 |
| Medicaid | 326 |
$4 – $33 |
| Amerigroup | 159 |
$8 – $45 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 1398 |
$12 – $73 |
| Tricare / VA | 417 |
$15 – $73 |
| MVP Health Care | 78 |
$8 – $61 |
| Medicare | 508 |
$16 – $33 |
| Highmark | 117 |
$11 – $40 |
| EmblemHealth | 60 |
$4 – $45 |
| Devoted Health | 243 |
$17 – $19 |
| AmeriHealth | 240 |
$6 – $60 |
| Molina Healthcare | 526 |
$4 – $46 |
| Univera | 13 |
$5 – $24 |
| UPMC Health Plan | 93 |
$9 – $68 |
| Centene / Ambetter | 759 |
$14 – $94 |
| Humana | 995 |
$16 – $149 |
| Anthem | 543 |
$14 – $86 |
| Bright Health | 60 |
$17 – $35 |
| Workers' Comp / No-Fault | 132 |
$20 – $101 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 1190 |
$14 – $98 |
| Oscar Health | 213 |
$17 – $62 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 213 |
$14 – $96 |
| Aetna | 1299 |
$16 – $119 |
| Priority Health | 49 |
$12 – $78 |
| UCare | 67 |
$17 – $87 |
| SelectHealth | 45 |
$17 – $90 |
| Cigna | 1075 |
$16 – $115 |
| Medica | 190 |
$17 – $121 |
| Harvard Pilgrim | 51 |
$17 – $80 |
| Health Net | 285 |
$17 – $193 |
| Sanford Health Plan | 70 |
$26 – $93 |
| HealthPartners | 234 |
$17 – $139 |
| Security Health Plan | 53 |
$17 – $94 |
| Coventry | 142 |
$17 – $146 |
| MultiPlan / PHCS network | 754 |
$26 – $203 |
| Healthcare Highways | 45 |
$33 – $258 |
| AvMed | 39 |
$17 – $482 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $17 |
| New Jersey | $19 |
| Rhode Island | $22 |
| Louisiana | $30 |
| Kentucky | $34 |
| Tennessee | $35 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Fariwa, MD | Internal Medicine | Brooklyn, NY | 840 |
| Pedro Mcdougal, M.D. F.A.C.P. | Internal Medicine | Weslaco, TX | 519 |
| Browlyn Marquez, NP-C | Nurse Practitioner | East Brunswick, NJ | 476 |
| Medhat Grace, M.D. | Family Practice | Bowling Green, KY | 454 |
| Michael Ladinsky, D.O. | Family Practice | East Islip, NY | 407 |
| Farouk Raquib, MD | Family Practice | Winfield, AL | 383 |
| Abdolreza Rabiee, MD | Emergency Medicine | Lexington, KY | 378 |
| Nather Ansari, M.D. | Internal Medicine | Stafford, VA | 360 |
| Gregg Nicks, M.D. | Family Practice | Bowling Green, KY | 328 |
| Zeinab Arafat, AG-ACNP | Nurse Practitioner | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | 328 |
| Tosha Wilson | Nurse Practitioner | Ada, OK | 306 |
| Mark Kot, M.D. | Emergency Medicine | Southampton, NY | 285 |
Does Medicare cover Strep throat test?
Yes — Medicare generally covers Strep throat test. It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $17. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $3 — 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 2092 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $58, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $99, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $25, a Medicare rate of about $17. Most cash prices fall between $19 and $141 — 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 Strep throat test cost without insurance?
Does Medicare cover Strep throat test?
What does Medicare pay for Strep throat test?
Why do Strep throat test prices vary between hospitals?
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
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