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Stool Culture, Additional Intestinal Organisms

North Carolina rates for HCPCS 87046

When a stool culture grows bacteria beyond the two most common intestinal disease-causing types, this covers the extra laboratory work of isolating and identifying each additional organism found. It is billed alongside the primary stool culture, not as a stand-alone test. This more thorough identification helps pinpoint a less common cause of an intestinal infection.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Stool Culture, Additional Intestinal Organisms cost?

$17.38

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $17.38 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $8.51 from a physician practice, and about $38.02 from a hospital or other facility. The two figures are alternatives, not parts of one bill.

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 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Where it's billed changes the price

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$8.51$7.59 to $11.75
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$38.02$18.20 to $63.10

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $38 · 10th to 90th $9 to $76Professionalmedian $9 · 10th to 90th $7 to $22
$2$5$10$20$50$100facility $38professional $9

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.55
Median
$39.81
Typical High
$75.86
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.41
Median
$8.51
Typical High
$24.55
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.31
Median
$6.61
Typical High
$22.91
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$21.38
Median
$40.74
Typical High
$40.74
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.08
Median
$8.51
Typical High
$8.51
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.61
Median
$18.20
Typical High
$42.66
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.90
Median
$6.31
Typical High
$14.45
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1.95
Median
$16.60
Typical High
$19.95
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.59
Median
$8.51
Typical High
$18.62
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.09
Median
$3.09
Typical High
$3.09
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.01
Median
$12.30
Typical High
$17.78
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$6.61
Typical High
$13.18
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$60.26
Median
$60.26
Typical High
$60.26

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 4.7 times more in West Virginia than in Washington, DC. 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.

North Carolina· 7th of 51

$17.38

WV $38.90DC $8.32

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.