Screening papanicolaou smear; obtaining, preparing and conveyance of cervical or vaginal smear to laboratory
Medicare pricing data for 42,148 providers across 52 states
Note: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees are billed separately and can be 2-5x the physician fee.
💡 What You Should Know
Screening papanicolaou smear; obtaining, preparing and conveyance of cervical or vaginal smear to laboratory (HCPCS code Q0091) is a medical procedure billed to Medicare. The average Medicare-allowed cost is $41.89, but hospitals typically charge $97.81 — a 2.3x markup. Prices vary significantly by state and provider.
🏷️ Typical Out-of-Pocket Cost
Medicare patients typically pay about 20% of the allowed amount as coinsurance. Based on the average allowed cost of $41.89, your out-of-pocket cost would be approximately $8.38. Actual costs depend on your specific plan, deductible, and whether you've met your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
What Hospitals Charge vs. What Medicare Pays
Hospitals charge 2.3x more than what Medicare allows for this procedure. Medicare actually pays $41.89 on average.
Cost by State
Medicare-allowed amounts vary significantly by state
| State | Allowed Cost | Hospital Charge | Providers | Services | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $49 | $129 | 92 | 297 | +16.1% |
| District of Columbia | $48 | $93 | 91 | 793 | +15.0% |
| New York | $48 | $138 | 2,519 | 50,899 | +13.8% |
| New Jersey | $48 | $109 | 1,171 | 25,567 | +13.7% |
| California | $47 | $102 | 3,345 | 30,494 | +12.3% |
| Connecticut | $46 | $84 | 540 | 7,557 | +9.8% |
| Maryland | $45 | $86 | 793 | 9,813 | +8.0% |
| Hawaii | $45 | $113 | 81 | 578 | +6.5% |
| Rhode Island | $44 | $90 | 128 | 1,262 | +5.1% |
| Delaware | $42 | $86 | 147 | 2,502 | +1.2% |
| Colorado | $42 | $92 | 700 | 2,423 | +0.2% |
| Virginia | $42 | $96 | 1,080 | 11,059 | +0.2% |
| Massachusetts | $42 | $120 | 2,222 | 14,811 | -0.2% |
| Puerto Rico | $42 | $48 | 94 | 508 | -0.7% |
| Florida | $41 | $112 | 3,090 | 41,360 | -1.8% |
| Pennsylvania | $41 | $89 | 2,117 | 22,683 | -2.4% |
| Texas | $41 | $92 | 2,449 | 20,417 | -2.4% |
| Nevada | $41 | $80 | 385 | 2,696 | -2.7% |
| Illinois | $41 | $93 | 1,502 | 12,240 | -2.9% |
| Georgia | $40 | $89 | 1,049 | 11,590 | -4.8% |
| Arizona | $39 | $85 | 939 | 6,584 | -5.9% |
| Minnesota | $39 | $124 | 1,226 | 2,588 | -6.6% |
| Utah | $39 | $71 | 170 | 372 | -6.7% |
| Oregon | $39 | $119 | 589 | 1,928 | -7.1% |
| Missouri | $39 | $76 | 839 | 7,290 | -7.4% |
| North Carolina | $39 | $96 | 1,263 | 8,260 | -7.5% |
| Washington | $39 | $105 | 971 | 2,421 | -7.6% |
| South Carolina | $39 | $84 | 696 | 7,818 | -7.9% |
| Michigan | $39 | $72 | 1,781 | 9,616 | -8.0% |
| Indiana | $38 | $78 | 1,024 | 6,075 | -8.7% |
| Tennessee | $38 | $82 | 1,079 | 11,244 | -9.3% |
| Nebraska | $38 | $64 | 320 | 1,645 | -9.9% |
| Mississippi | $38 | $56 | 274 | 7,461 | -10.5% |
| Alabama | $37 | $60 | 508 | 6,209 | -10.6% |
| Arkansas | $37 | $77 | 388 | 3,895 | -10.7% |
| Oklahoma | $37 | $72 | 489 | 2,958 | -11.2% |
| Ohio | $37 | $73 | 1,576 | 11,966 | -11.2% |
| Wisconsin | $37 | $78 | 668 | 1,737 | -11.3% |
| Wyoming | $37 | $63 | 87 | 404 | -11.3% |
| New Mexico | $37 | $86 | 202 | 826 | -12.0% |
| Kansas | $37 | $67 | 410 | 2,212 | -12.2% |
| New Hampshire | $36 | $96 | 324 | 1,629 | -12.9% |
| Kentucky | $36 | $72 | 612 | 5,017 | -15.1% |
| Iowa | $35 | $79 | 376 | 1,312 | -15.4% |
| West Virginia | $34 | $74 | 220 | 1,703 | -19.0% |
| Louisiana | $34 | $67 | 544 | 8,343 | -19.1% |
| Vermont | $32 | $71 | 75 | 550 | -23.3% |
| Montana | $31 | $65 | 208 | 630 | -25.0% |
| Maine | $30 | $73 | 139 | 477 | -28.0% |
| Idaho | $30 | $63 | 176 | 637 | -29.3% |
| South Dakota | $29 | $57 | 185 | 594 | -31.3% |
| North Dakota | $28 | $85 | 153 | 348 | -34.0% |
⚠️ Important: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees may be billed separately. Total out-of-pocket costs may be higher.
💊 Need post-procedure medications? Check costs on OpenPrescriber