The list price of a Covid-19 diagnostic test varies widely depending on the hospital, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis released Wednesday.
The list price of a Covid-19 diagnostic test varies widely depending on the hospital, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis released Wednesday.
It found that large facilities nationwide charge between $20 and $850 for each test, not including the cost of the provider visit, facility fee or other services.
These fees do not reflect rates that hospitals negotiate with insurers for in-network care.
While federal law now requires insurers, Medicare and Medicaid to cover the tests at no cost to patients and provides funding to cover costs for testing the uninsured, limits to the federal requirements mean that some patients may still receive bills, Kaiser said.
The typical list price for the test was $127, and about half of hospitals charge between $100 and $199. Nearly one in five price their tests at more than $200.
The price varies based on type of test performed, where it’s processed and the manufacturer. Lab tests developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were generally less expensive that non-CDC tests. Tests that allow for faster analysis of samples cost more.
