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Cost Guide 84181 · Pathology/Lab

How much does Western blot immunological test for protein detection cost?

Medicare pays $17.

By Elena Vasquez , Medical Billing Research Lead · ·
Data from CMS files published FY 2024 CMS IPPS. Refreshed weekly.
About the analyst

Elena Vasquez leads hospital billing pattern analysis at BillRazor Research. She focuses on identifying overcharges, markup outliers, and patient advocacy strategies. Expertise: hospital billing patterns, overcharge analysis, patient advocacy.

3 care settings compared
CMS Medicare benchmark data
Updated 2026-04-03
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$18
Medicare rate
$71
Price spread
Rate comparison — Western blot immunological test for protein detection
Medicare facility$18Non-facility$99$81 difference between lowest and highest rate
Research suggests 49–80% of hospital bills contain errors. Our system checks every line item against Medicare benchmarks.

Cost by care setting

Setting Medicare rate
Hospital outpatient (facility) $18
Physician office (non-facility) $99
Clinical laboratory $17

What affects the cost?

How to save on Western blot immunological test for protein detection

  • 1 Ask your doctor to use a preferred lab network
  • 2 Request a cost estimate before the test is run
  • 3 Check if a less expensive alternative test exists
Rates shown are from the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and CMS IPPS. BillRazor compares your bill against these data sources. See how it works →

FAQ — Western blot immunological test for protein detection cost

What is a fair price for Western blot test?
Medicare pays $17 for Western blot test (84181). This is the government benchmark rate. A fair price for commercially insured or cash-pay patients is typically 1.2–2.5x the Medicare rate, or roughly $21–$44.
How can I lower my cost for Western blot test?
To lower your cost: (1) Compare prices at multiple facilities — use the comparison data on this page. (2) Ask about ASC (surgery center) options, which are often 40–60% cheaper. (3) Request cash-pay pricing upfront. (4) After receiving a bill, review each line item against Medicare benchmarks. Research suggests 49–80% of hospital bills contain errors.

Related pricing data

Western blot immunological test for protein detection — Medicare rate detailsFull Medicare rate breakdown by setting and locality
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Data: Federal physician fee schedules, hospital payment data, surgery center rates, lab fee schedules, and drug pricing data. FY 2024. All publicly available from federal sources.

Methodology: Rates shown are national Medicare reimbursement rates by care setting. Price ranges reflect variation across hospitals reporting the same procedure code. Metro prices are averaged from hospital-level chargemaster data reported to CMS.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical, financial, or legal advice. Actual costs depend on your insurance and provider. We recommend verifying costs directly with your provider. Full methodology · Terms of use

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