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Cost of liver panel by state

The following estimated costs are based on cash prices that providers have historically charged on average for liver panel and will vary depending on where the service is done. The prices do not include the anesthesia, imaging, and other doctor visit fees that normally accompany liver panel.

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StateName Average Cash Price
Alabama $10
Alaska $14
Arizona $12
Arkansas $10
California $13
Colorado $11
Connecticut $12
Delaware $12
District of Columbia $12
Florida $11
Georgia $11
Hawaii $11
Idaho $10
Illinois $12
Indiana $11
Iowa $10
Kansas $10
Kentucky $10
Louisiana $11
Maine $10
Maryland $12
Massachusetts $13
Michigan $12
Minnesota $13
Mississippi $10
Missouri $10
Montana $11
Nebraska $11
Nevada $11
New Hampshire $11
New Jersey $13
New Mexico $10
New York $13
North Carolina $10
North Dakota $11
Ohio $11
Oklahoma $11
Oregon $12
Pennsylvania $12
Rhode Island $13
South Carolina $11
South Dakota $10
Tennessee $10
Texas $11
Utah $11
Vermont $11
Virginia $11
Washington $12
West Virginia $11
Wisconsin $12
Wyoming $11

What is a liver panel?

A liver panel is a laboratory blood test that measures enzymes, proteins, and substances made in the liver. By looking at these levels, your healthcare provider can check the overall health of your liver. 

The levels measured in a liver panel include:

  • Albumin - protein made in the liver
  • Total protein - the total amount of protein in your blood sample.
  • Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) - an enzyme produced in the liver.
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) - an enzyme produced in the liver.
  • Alanine transaminase (ALT) - an enzyme produced in the liver.
  • Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) - an enzyme produced in the liver.
  • Bilirubin - a waste product made in the liver.
  • Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) - an enzyme is released when cells are damaged by disease or injury.
  • Prothrombin time (PT) - a measure related to your blood's ability to form clots. 

You may also hear a liver panel called a liver function panel, hepatic function panel, liver profile, hepatic profile, or LFT.

What lab tests show liver function?

If your liver has been injured, damaged, or is not functioning well, the liver enzymes ALT, AST, and GGT levels may be elevated on the blood test. These levels can be monitored to see if they are improving through treatments to help your liver.

What are the first signs of a bad liver?

The liver’s primary function is to help your body detoxify. It also stores sugar in the form of glycogen. Signs that you may have a liver problem include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Jaundice - a yellow discoloration of the skin
  • Feeling tired and weak
  • Shortness of breath
  • Easy bruising or bleeding
  • Swelling of the legs
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dark-colored urine
  • Light-colored stools

What does it mean when your liver panel is high?

If your liver panel readings are high, it may indicate injury or damage to the liver. Elevated liver panel readings can result from the following:

  • Fatty liver
  • Alcohol use
  • Diabetes
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
  • Certain medications
  • Liver cancer

What AST and ALT levels indicate liver disease?

Most healthcare providers will evaluate if AST or ALT readings are more than 2.5 times the normal upper limit. The normal ranges for AST and ALT are:

  • AST:  5-50 u/L
  • ALT:  7-56 u/L

This means your provider is looking for an AST 125 u/L or an ALT 140 u/L or higher.

How do you fix elevated liver enzymes?

In many cases, liver enzymes are only temporarily elevated and can be lowered. Common medications that elevate liver enzymes include Tylenol (acetaminophen) and statin medications used to lower cholesterol. If you are taking these medications, your healthcare provider may advise you to stop and recheck your liver enzymes.

Alcohol use affects the liver. Cutting back on drinking or stopping drinking is one of the best ways to improve your liver enzymes. 

Some conditions like Hepatitis A are short-term, and liver enzymes will improve once the illness is over. 

Elevated liver enzymes caused by fatty liver or diabetes will respond to dietary efforts to limit intake of fatty and sugary foods. This reduces the need for your liver to store excess sugars and cholesterol.

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

The site is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice and does not serve as a recommendation for a particular provider or type of medical or healthcare.