Flu test
CPT 87804 • Laboratory
If you're paying cash
$57 – $89
Posted cash price at 4 hospitals in North Carolina. Hospitals must publish these; ask for the self-pay or cash price by name when you call.
See what your plan negotiated
Lowest
$4
Typical
$14
Highest
$5,235
114,240 negotiated rates from NC hospitals. These are what insurers pay, not what you would be billed.
About this procedure
A rapid flu test — a nasal swab that detects influenza A and B in about 15 minutes.
What to expect
Quick swab through one or both nostrils. Slightly uncomfortable but fast. Results in 10-15 minutes. Most useful in the first 48 hours of symptoms when antiviral treatment can shorten the illness. False negatives happen — clinical judgment still drives treatment.