How much does a Blood transfusion typically cost in the United States?

Across 2,338 U.S. hospitals in 52 states, the modeled national fair BaseRate for Blood transfusion is $494, with most hospital negotiated prices falling between $315 and $1,245.

Why do hospital prices for Blood transfusion vary across facilities?

Commercial rates are negotiated individually between hospital systems and insurers, creating wide local dispersion even within the same metro area. Comparing facility-specific cash and in-network rates before scheduling care helps avoid overpaying.

National price data · 2,338 hospitals

Blood transfusion cost

What a blood transfusion costs across the U.S. — and the fair price to aim for.

Near Fair BaseRate Benchmark

1.00×vs. Fair Market Price

Typical commercial prices here match the fair market benchmark (1.00×) after accounting for local nurse/doctor wages and patient complexity.

86/100 · Verified

86/100Hover Any Check Below to See How Prices Were Audited

File Completeness90

Price Logic88

Peer Alignment86

Clean Billing83

Real Cash Discount84

Regional Value Leader

Balances commercial hospital prices against CMS clinical safety, infection control, and patient experience.

Behavioral Pricing FingerprintConsistent Department Multiples

Aligned Regional Benchmark Peer

Saint Thomas Hickman Hospital prices shoppable and inpatient services (1.1× to 1.3× Medicare, divergence 1.18×) in alignment with regional hospital peers (1.00× Fair BaseRate). Reviewing plan-specific negotiated rates and cash discounts helps lock in the lowest out-of-pocket tier.

#45 of 84 in TN · 52nd State Percentile#1,302 of 3,385 in U.S. · 38th National Percentile

Advantage

Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)

Bottom-quartile procedures (Q25) price at 0.59× the peer BaseRate benchmark
Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 0% of shoppable procedures (99/100 Cash Honesty)
CMS clinical safety score (69/100 safety score) with 72% patient recommendation
IRS 501(c)(3) charity care provides free care up to 200% FPL and discounted care up to 400% FPL (21.7% AGB cap)

Watchout

Where You Can Get Burned (Markup Traps)

Outpatient surgery & OR suites carry a 1.4× markup over Medicare rates
Captive ER (1.6×) & laboratory (1.5×) services average 1.18× higher multiples than routine shoppable care (1.1×)
Specialty infusion drugs (J-codes) average 1.3× Medicare — verify per-unit billing on itemized statements
Unnegotiated chargemaster list prices average 4.6× Medicare (20¢ true HCRIS cost per $1 gross)

Front-Door ShoppableElective / Imaging

1.1× Medicare

Pre-scheduled outpatient procedures where patients can comparison-shop.

Back-Door Captive & ER1.18× Divergence

1.3× Medicare

Emergency, inpatient DRG, lab, and specialty drug lines billed after admission.

Quantile Tail Spread+9% Upper Tail

Q25 0.59× · Q50 1.23× · Q75 1.34×

Detects median-gaming when upper-quartile codes spike above the p50 median.

Select any lens to inspect department markups, federal cost accounting, or insurer discounts.

Department & Integrity Multiples (vs. CMS Medicare Cost Anchor) Green ≤1.3× · Teal 1.3–1.8× · Amber 1.8–2.5× · Rose >2.5×

Front-Door Shoppable CareFront-Door Shoppable

1.1× MedicareGood

Outpatient Surgery & ORBack-Door Captive

1.4× MedicareGood

Diagnostic Imaging (CT/MRI)Front-Door Shoppable

1.2× MedicareGood

Back-Door Captive ER VisitsBack-Door Captive

1.6× MedicareGood

Inpatient Lab & PathologyBack-Door Captive

1.5× MedicareGood

Specialty & Infusion Drugs (J-Codes)Back-Door Captive

1.3× MedicareGood

Self-Pay Cash Honesty & 501(r)Integrity & Outcomes

0% Cash Edge · 99/100Good

CMS Clinical Safety & Star ValueIntegrity & Outcomes

3 CMS · 69/100Fair

National Geographic Price Intelligence · 50-State + DC/PR Cartogram

National State Price Index Heatmap · Blood transfusion

State commercial price index vs. U.S. median (1.00×) and average Medicare multiple across all 53 priced states & territories

<0.93× Below Fair Price 0.93–1.05× Near Average 1.05–1.18× Elevated >1.18× High-Cost State

AK0.98× 10.3× Med ME0.64× 6.7× Med WA1.80× 18.8× Med ID0.91× 9.6× Med MT0.94× 9.9× Med ND1.10× 11.5× Med MN0.88× 9.3× Med WI0.90× 9.4× Med MI0.88× 9.3× Med VT0.83× 8.7× Med NH1.00× 10.5× Med OR1.16× 12.2× Med NV1.15× 12.1× Med WY0.56× 5.8× Med SD0.91× 9.5× Med IA0.91× 9.5× Med IL0.96× 10.0× Med IN1.12× 11.8× Med OH0.94× 9.9× Med PA0.91× 9.5× Med NY1.11× 11.7× Med MA1.18× 12.4× Med CA1.25× 13.2× Med UT1.06× 11.2× Med CO0.99× 10.4× Med NE1.32× 13.8× Med MO0.95× 10.0× Med KY0.87× 9.2× Med WV0.87× 9.2× Med VA2.11× 22.1× Med MD1.62× 17.0× Med NJ1.06× 11.1× Med CT0.36× 3.8× Med AZ0.98× 10.2× Med NM0.91× 9.5× Med KS1.04× 10.9× Med AR0.93× 9.8× Med TN0.85× 8.9× Med NC0.91× 9.5× Med SC0.89× 9.4× Med DE1.14× 12.0× Med DC1.65× 17.4× Med RI1.46× 15.3× Med OK1.47× 15.4× Med LA0.86× 9.0× Med MS0.90× 9.4× Med AL0.84× 8.8× Med GA1.66× 17.5× Med HI1.05× 11.0× Med TX0.93× 9.8× Med FL0.96× 10.1× Med PR0.77× 1.1× Med

CT0.36×3.8× Med WY0.56×5.8× Med ME0.64×6.7× Med PR0.77×1.1× Med VT0.83×8.7× Med AL0.84×8.8× Med TN0.85×8.9× Med LA0.86×9.0× Med KY0.87×9.2× Med WV0.87×9.2× Med MI0.88×9.3× Med MN0.88×9.3× Med SC0.89×9.4× Med MS0.90×9.4× Med WI0.90×9.4× Med IA0.91×9.5× Med ID0.91×9.6× Med NC0.91×9.5× Med NM0.91×9.5× Med PA0.91×9.5× Med SD0.91×9.5× Med AR0.93×9.8× Med TX0.93×9.8× Med MT0.94×9.9× Med OH0.94×9.9× Med MO0.95×10.0× Med FL0.96×10.1× Med IL0.96×10.0× Med AK0.98×10.3× Med AZ0.98×10.2× Med CO0.99×10.4× Med NH1.00×10.5× Med KS1.04×10.9× Med HI1.05×11.0× Med NJ1.06×11.1× Med UT1.06×11.2× Med ND1.10×11.5× Med NY1.11×11.7× Med IN1.12×11.8× Med DE1.14×12.0× Med NV1.15×12.1× Med OR1.16×12.2× Med MA1.18×12.4× Med CA1.25×13.2× Med NE1.32×13.8× Med RI1.46×15.3× Med OK1.47×15.4× Med MD1.62×17.0× Med DC1.65×17.4× Med GA1.66×17.5× Med WA1.80×18.8× Med VA2.11×22.1× Med

5 Lowest-Price States (Confounder-Isolated Value Leaders)

CT0.36×(3.8×)WY0.56×(5.8×)ME0.64×(6.7×)PR0.77×(1.1×)VT0.83×(8.7×)

5 Highest-Markup States (Strict Bill Audit Recommended)

VA2.11×(22.1×)WA1.80×(18.8×)GA1.66×(17.5×)DC1.65×(17.4×)MD1.62×(17.0×)

The BaseRate high confidence

$494

the fair national price for a blood transfusion

typically $315–$1,245 across 2,338 hospitals · how we calculate it

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

2,338

hospitals priced

states

4×

price spread — where shopping matters

10.5×

vs. Medicare

Across 2,338 hospitals in 52 states, a blood transfusion has a fair BaseRate of $494 and typically costs $315–$1,245. The cheapest state is CT; the priciest is VA.

Cheapest hospitals for a blood transfusion

Blood transfusion cost by state

AK $490 3 hospitals AL $416 43 hospitals AR $464 41 hospitals AZ $486 47 hospitals CA $624 190 hospitals CO $491 40 hospitals CT $180 15 hospitals DC $823 5 hospitals DE $568 6 hospitals FL $479 128 hospitals GA $828 62 hospitals HI $521 17 hospitals IA $451 67 hospitals ID $454 17 hospitals IL $476 91 hospitals IN $560 67 hospitals KS $516 81 hospitals KY $434 40 hospitals LA $428 71 hospitals MA $589 39 hospitals MD $807 2 hospitals ME $318 18 hospitals MI $440 50 hospitals MN $440 60 hospitals MO $473 63 hospitals MS $446 47 hospitals MT $469 5 hospitals NC $451 39 hospitals ND $547 16 hospitals NE $656 42 hospitals NH $497 11 hospitals NJ $528 47 hospitals NM $451 11 hospitals NV $575 16 hospitals NY $554 68 hospitals OH $469 99 hospitals OK $732 53 hospitals OR $577 22 hospitals PA $452 91 hospitals RI $726 6 hospitals SC $445 40 hospitals SD $452 8 hospitals TN $422 64 hospitals TX $465 189 hospitals UT $530 30 hospitals VA $1,049 48 hospitals VT $415 7 hospitals WA $894 39 hospitals WI $447 58 hospitals WV $435 14 hospitals WY $277 4 hospitals

Inline Bill X-Ray & 501(r) Calculator 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Free Care ≤200% FPL · AGB Cap 36.3%

Audit a Bill or Quote at U.S. Hospital Benchmark (Zero PHI Required)

Fair BaseRate™ $494

Medicare Rate $287

Self-Pay Cash Request Quote

Insurer Median $498

1. Amount on Your Bill or Quote ($) Pre-filled with U.S. Hospital Benchmark’s charged/list benchmark

2. Household Annual Income ($) Screened against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines

3. Household Size (1–8) 2026 FPL: $15,650 + $5,500 per additional person

Step 1 · 501(r) Charity Care Check 501(r) AGB Cap: $434 (274% FPL)

Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $434

At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (36.3% of gross = $434).

Step 2 · Cash vs. Insurance Arbitrage Request Prompt-Pay Quote

Compare Prompt-Pay Cash Rate Against Remaining Deductible

Ask U.S. Hospital Benchmark's billing desk for their written 45 CFR § 180 discounted self-pay cash price and Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act.

Step 3 · Fair BaseRate Target +$701 Above Fair BaseRate

Negotiate Toward $494 Fair BaseRate ($287 Medicare)

Your bill ($1,195) is $701 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($494) and 4.2× the $287 Medicare rate.

1-Click Factual Dispute Summary: Copy a citation-backed benchmark memo (with CMS CCN, CPT code, Medicare reference, Fair BaseRate, and 26 U.S.C. § 501(r) calculations) to paste into patient-portal messages or billing appeals.