go back

Gene Activity Test to Identify a Cancer's Origin

Massachusetts rates for HCPCS 81540

A laboratory test on a sample of tumor tissue that measures the activity of a large panel of genes and compares the pattern against the patterns of known cancer types. It is used when a cancer has already spread and doctors cannot tell which organ it began in, because treatment depends on the tissue of origin.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Gene Activity Test to Identify a Cancer's Origin cost?

$3,715

Typical negotiated rate. In Massachusetts, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3,715 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3,631 from a physician practice, and about $4,898 from a hospital or other facility.

These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 9 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$3,631$2,138 to $9,772
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$4,898$3,311 to $6,761

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $4,898 · 10th to 90th $2,754 to $9,333Professionalmedian $3,631 · 10th to 90th $1,738 to $18,621
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $4,898professional $3,631

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,041.74
Median
$4,073.80
Typical High
$9,120.11
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,041.74
Median
$2,041.74
Typical High
$2,041.74
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,754.23
Median
$3,019.95
Typical High
$4,365.16
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,584.89
Median
$12,882.50
Typical High
$18,620.87
BCBS Massachusetts
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4,466.84
Median
$7,413.10
Typical High
$13,489.63
BCBS Massachusetts
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,467.37
Median
$3,467.37
Typical High
$3,467.37
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,137.96
Median
$2,951.21
Typical High
$7,244.36
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,238.72
Median
$3,981.07
Typical High
$14,454.40
Fallon Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$83.18
Median
$5,370.32
Typical High
$6,309.57
Fallon Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$5,370.32
Median
$5,370.32
Typical High
$6,309.57
Harvard Pilgrim
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,737.80
Median
$3,715.35
Typical High
$8,317.64
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,754.23
Median
$3,019.95
Typical High
$4,365.16
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,584.89
Median
$12,882.50
Typical High
$18,620.87
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,388.44
Median
$3,715.35
Typical High
$4,466.84
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,513.56
Median
$2,238.72
Typical High
$7,079.46
Well Sense
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,311.31
Median
$4,570.88
Typical High
$6,760.83
Well Sense
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,511.89
Median
$2,511.89
Typical High
$3,019.95
3 more rates with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$1,023.29
Median
$1,023.29
Typical High
$1,023.29
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$407.38
Typical High
$407.38
Fallon Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
QW · Waived lab test
Typical Low
$3,715.35
Median
$4,897.79
Typical High
$5,754.40

Where Massachusetts sits

The same service costs 6.5 times more in Texas than in Alabama. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.

Massachusetts· 17th of 51

$3,715

TX $10,233AL $1,585

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.