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Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

Cholesterol Test Cost in California (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a cholesterol test cost in California?

The same cholesterol test in California might cost you $13 at one facility and $105 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 281 reporting hospitals is $15. These figures come straight from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Three low-priced facilities in California, from hospital price files

  • KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - RIVERSIDE · Riverside, CA $8
  • KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - ORANGE COUNTY - ANAHEIM · Anaheim, CA $8
  • KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - WEST LA · Los Angeles, CA $8

All 281 facilities are listed below, free.

Where cholesterol test costs vary in California

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby outpatient clinics and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

What you pay for a cholesterol test depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ Screening vs. diagnostic: Routine screening is covered at $0 under many plans, while a test ordered for a known condition may involve cost-sharing.
  • ✓ Where the blood is tested: Hospital labs, independent labs and doctor-office labs charge very different prices for the same panel.
  • ✓ Which bills usually arrive separately, and which providers to check are in-network
  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, so the estimate covers everything
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

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Cheapest Cholesterol Test Providers in California

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs median ($15)
1 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - RIVERSIDE Riverside, CA $8 $7 below
2 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - ORANGE COUNTY - ANAHEIM Anaheim, CA $8 $7 below
3 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - WEST LA Los Angeles, CA $8 $7 below
4 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - MORENO VALLEY Moreno Valley, CA $8 $7 below
5 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - SAN DIEGO - CLAIREMONT MESA San Diego, CA $8 $7 below
6 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - PANORAMA CITY Panorama City, CA $8 $7 below
7 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - SAN DIEGO - ZION San Diego, CA $8 $7 below
8 KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - SAN MARCOS San Marcos, CA $8 $7 below

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Before you book: three questions that change the price

  1. Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
  2. Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
  3. What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost →  ·  When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →

Quick take

  • KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - RIVERSIDE is the lowest-cost option at $8 - $7 below the median posted price ($15), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $16, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Independent and doctor-office labs often charge much less than hospital labs for the same test and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset. Ask where your plan sends lab work.
Cholesterol test prices by coverage in California, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
With insurance (commercial, average)211$13 to $88$31
Without insurance (cash price)300$8 to $286$16
Anthem Blue Cross160$9 to $124$28
Aetna125$9 to $110$36
Cigna121$11 to $78$30
UnitedHealthcare87$11 to $114$24

Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.

How much does a cholesterol test cost with insurance in California?

Across 211 California hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for cholesterol test average $13 to $88 per hospital, with a median near $31. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.

Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.

How much does a cholesterol test cost without insurance in California?

Cash (self-pay) prices for cholesterol test at 300 California hospitals range from $8 to $286, with a median of $16. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.

Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.

How much does a cholesterol test cost with Anthem Blue Cross in California?

Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for cholesterol test at 160 California hospitals range from $9 to $124, with a median near $28. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.

Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.

How much does a cholesterol test cost with Aetna in California?

Aetna negotiated rates for cholesterol test at 125 California hospitals range from $9 to $110, with a median near $36. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a cholesterol test cost with Cigna in California?

Cigna negotiated rates for cholesterol test at 121 California hospitals range from $11 to $78, with a median near $30. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does a cholesterol test cost with UnitedHealthcare in California?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for cholesterol test at 87 California hospitals range from $11 to $114, with a median near $24. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How where you go changes what you pay for cholesterol test

The same cholesterol test bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.

Hospital Outpatient
$6–$749
  • Facility fee $6–$749

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$6–$595
  • Facility fee $6–$595

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →

Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (14) report prices above $360, including Riverside University Medical Center at $749, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $13 versus $143 inpatient (about 11× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$15
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$3
Out-of-network provider $33+

Frequently asked questions: cholesterol test costs in California

How much does a cholesterol test cost in California?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $13, with most facilities between $9 and $13 (based on 258 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of California hospitals run $8–$286; outlier facilities above and below that range are left out. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get a cholesterol test in California?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our California data is KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - RIVERSIDE in Riverside at about $8. By metro, Los Angeles has the lowest median ($13).

Why is a cholesterol test so much cheaper at some California hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 1.4× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In California, the median cash (self-pay) price is $16 versus a median negotiated rate of $31 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a cholesterol test in California?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Before you book

Other procedures in California

Cholesterol Test, elsewhere

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).

Other Procedure Costs in California

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About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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