How Much Does A Strep Test Cost At Urgent Care?

Quick Digest

• Strep throat is caused by infection with a bacterium known as Streptococcus, also called group A streptococcus.
• A rapid strep test involves swabbing the throat and running a test on the swab. Rapid strep tests are available at urgent care centers and doctor’s offices. If positive, the doctor can then prescribe antibiotics.
• The average out-of-pocket cost of a rapid strep test with a doctor's visit is $187. However, the cost you will pay is highly variable and depends on if you have insurance, where you are located, and if you need any additional services.
• This article aims to help you understand the price you might have to pay at urgent care and where to get tested at the lowest cost.

The cost for a rapid strep test depends on the following factors

The out-of-pocket cost for a rapid strep test may depend on the following factors:

1. Where the urgent care center is located
2. Whether or not you need additional prescriptions to treat strep (if strep is detected)
3. If the doctor performs additional tests (flu, Covid-19, etc)
4. Insurance coverage (if any)

How much does a strep test cost at urgent care? About $187 

According to MDsave, the estimated national average for an out-of-pocket rapid strep test is $75. 

However, our research team contacted the top 10 urgent care centers in the United States to find out exactly how much a strep test costs at urgent care without insurance. 

We found that the average cost of a rapid strep test without insurance is $187 including the doctor's visit. 

Different strains of strep

Streptococci is a bacterial infection and is divided into several groups: Group A streptococcus, Group B streptococcus, Group C streptococcus, and Group G streptococcus.

When should I get a strep test? 

Strep throat is caused by infection with a bacterium known as Streptococcus pyogenes, also called group A streptococcus. 

Streptococcal bacteria are contagious and predominantly spread through airborne respiratory droplets or saliva. 

You may want to consider getting a rapid strep test if you are having the following symptoms:

• Throat pain that usually has a quick onset
• Painful swallowing
• Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus
• Tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth (soft or hard palate)
• Swollen, tender lymph nodes in your neck
• Fever
• Headache
• Rash
• Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children
• Body aches

If you go see a provider at urgent care with any of the aforementioned symptoms, they may recommend getting a strep test. 

What does a strep test entail? 

According to the Centers For Disease Control, only a rapid strep test or throat culture will be able to determine if you have group A strep. 

It’s not possible for a doctor to tell if someone has strep throat just by looking at his or her throat.

A rapid strep test involves swabbing the back of the throat and running a test on the swab. The test shows if group A strep is causing the illness and results and typically available within 10 minutes. 

If the test is positive, doctors can prescribe antibiotics. 

If the test is negative, but a doctor still suspects strep throat, then the doctor can take a throat culture swab. A throat culture typically takes 1-2 days to find out if group A strep bacteria is present. 

While it takes more time, a throat culture sometimes finds infections that the rapid strep test misses. 

Culture is important to use in children and teens since they can get a rheumatic fever from an untreated strep throat infection. 

For adults, it is usually not necessary to do a throat culture following a negative rapid strep test. Adults are generally not at risk of getting rheumatic fever following a strep throat infection. 

However, your provider will assess whether it is necessary to get this test based on your symptoms. 

What medications might a doctor prescribe if I have strep throat?

Doctors treat strep throat with antibiotics. Either penicillin or amoxicillin is recommended as the first choice for people who are not allergic to penicillin. 

Doctors can use other antibiotics to treat strep throat in people who are allergic to penicillin.

Benefits of antibiotics include:

• Decreasing how long someone is sick
• Decreasing symptoms (feeling better)
• Preventing the bacteria from spreading to others
• Preventing serious complications like rheumatic fever

How to avoid high costs for a strep test at urgent care?

Seeking help from urgent care can be expensive and non-transparent. T

here are several options that can help you reduce your out-of-pocket cost when receiving a strep test —  especially if you do not have insurance or your insurance has high deductibles. 

With Mira, your $99 co-pay will cover your entire urgent care visit. 

It is important to advocate for yourself and understand the factors that affect the potential cost. Outlined below are several questions you can ask to help advocate for yourself.

• How much will the rapid strep test cost?
• If I need a strep culture, how much will it cost?
• Is the strep test the only test I need for today?
• How much will this prescription medicine cost?
• Is there an office visit fee?
• What other administrative fees can I expect?

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/strep-throat.html#:~:text=A%20rapid%20strep%20test%20involves,take%20a%20throat%20culture%20swab.

https://www.mdsave.com/procedures/rapid-strep-test/d786f4cd#:~:text=How%20Much%20Does%20a%20Rapid%20Strep%20Test%20Cost%3F,shop%2C%20compare%20prices%20and%20save.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/strep-throat/symptoms-causes/syc-20350338

https://www.cdc.gov/groupastrep/diseases-public/strep-throat.html

https://www.everydayhealth.com/strep-throat/different-types-streptococcal/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/streptococcus-group-c#:~:text=Despite%20effective%20antimicrobial%20therapy%2C%20these,persistent%20fever%20for%20%3E7%20days.&text=Other%20respiratory%20tract%20infections%20reported,skin%20and%20soft%20tissue%20infections.