Preparation of specimen, manual
Medicare pricing data for 794 providers across 34 states
Prices vary significantly by location — from $21 in West Virginia to $216 in California. Where you get this procedure matters more than almost any other factor. Note: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees are billed separately and can be 2-5x the physician fee.
💡 What You Should Know
Preparation of specimen, manual (HCPCS code 88381) is a medical procedure billed to Medicare. The average Medicare-allowed cost is $161.13, but hospitals typically charge $240.44 — a 1.5x markup. Prices vary significantly by state and provider.
🏷️ Typical Out-of-Pocket Cost
Medicare patients typically pay about 20% of the allowed amount as coinsurance. Based on the average allowed cost of $161.13, your out-of-pocket cost would be approximately $32.23. Actual costs depend on your specific plan, deductible, and whether you've met your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
What Hospitals Charge vs. What Medicare Pays
Hospitals charge 1.5x more than what Medicare allows for this procedure. Medicare actually pays $126.49 on average.
Cost by State
Medicare-allowed amounts vary significantly by state
| State | Allowed Cost | Hospital Charge | Providers | Services | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $216 | $327 | 53 | 23,595 | +34.0% |
| Alaska | $203 | $272 | 1 | 18 | +26.2% |
| Illinois | $191 | $244 | 36 | 4,247 | +18.5% |
| Utah | $187 | $219 | 8 | 8,370 | +15.8% |
| Arizona | $151 | $169 | 10 | 21,467 | -6.0% |
| Oklahoma | $127 | $347 | 4 | 60 | -21.0% |
| Florida | $123 | $334 | 39 | 2,334 | -23.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $102 | $212 | 29 | 1,341 | -36.6% |
| New Jersey | $90 | $284 | 20 | 1,980 | -44.0% |
| New York | $83 | $307 | 18 | 342 | -48.3% |
| Washington | $69 | $126 | 69 | 663 | -57.4% |
| Texas | $68 | $236 | 93 | 826 | -58.0% |
| Tennessee | $58 | $186 | 76 | 1,844 | -63.8% |
| Massachusetts | $55 | $205 | 50 | 1,712 | -66.0% |
| Minnesota | $47 | $141 | 61 | 1,480 | -70.7% |
| Connecticut | $47 | $320 | 12 | 120 | -70.8% |
| Ohio | $32 | $164 | 23 | 157 | -80.1% |
| Oregon | $27 | $82 | 27 | 468 | -83.0% |
| Iowa | $26 | $177 | 7 | 637 | -83.7% |
| Missouri | $26 | $210 | 12 | 132 | -83.8% |
| Michigan | $25 | $174 | 26 | 395 | -84.4% |
| Wisconsin | $24 | $231 | 12 | 44 | -85.2% |
| District of Columbia | $24 | $179 | 1 | 26 | -85.3% |
| Indiana | $24 | $149 | 19 | 115 | -85.4% |
| Colorado | $23 | $80 | 5 | 204 | -85.4% |
| Maryland | $23 | $129 | 9 | 43 | -85.5% |
| Georgia | $23 | $181 | 2 | 73 | -85.8% |
| Maine | $23 | $75 | 12 | 218 | -85.8% |
| Mississippi | $23 | $54 | 3 | 16 | -85.8% |
| North Carolina | $23 | $181 | 6 | 237 | -85.9% |
| Kentucky | $22 | $103 | 4 | 18 | -86.1% |
| Nebraska | $22 | $130 | 4 | 33 | -86.1% |
| Arkansas | $22 | $53 | 6 | 40 | -86.5% |
| West Virginia | $21 | $400 | 4 | 32 | -86.8% |
⚠️ Important: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees may be billed separately. Total out-of-pocket costs may be higher.
💊 Need post-procedure medications? Check costs on OpenPrescriber