Bacterial Culture With Colony Count

Delaware rates for HCPCS 87071

A laboratory culture that grows bacteria from a sample such as a wound swab, tissue or body fluid, counts how much is growing, and gives a first identification of what has been found. The count helps separate true infection from harmless bacteria living on the surface.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Bacterial Culture With Colony Count cost?

$8.13

Typical negotiated rate. In Delaware, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $8.13 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $7.76 from a physician practice, and about $17.78 from a hospital or other facility.

Few insurers publish rates for this combination, so treat this figure as a rough guide.

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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed by	Who charges it	Typical	Range
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider	A doctor's office, clinic or independent provider	$7.76	$5.89 to $11.48
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department	A hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department	$17.78	$8.13 to $186

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $18 · 10th to 90th $6 to $186Professionalmedian $8 · 10th to 90th $5 to $18

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

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier	Facility/Professional	Modifier	Typical Low	Median	Typical High
Aetna Setting Facility Modifier None Typical Low $8.13 Median $8.13 Typical High $21.38	Facility	None	$8.13	$8.13	$21.38
Aetna Setting Professional Modifier None Typical Low $7.76 Median $8.13 Typical High $8.13	Professional	None	$7.76	$8.13	$8.13
Cigna Setting Facility Modifier None Typical Low $6.46 Median $6.46 Typical High $17.78	Facility	None	$6.46	$6.46	$17.78
Cigna Setting Professional Modifier None Typical Low $5.89 Median $11.48 Typical High $47.86	Professional	None	$5.89	$11.48	$47.86
Highmark BCBS Setting Facility Modifier None Typical Low $186.21 Median $186.21 Typical High $186.21	Facility	None	$186.21	$186.21	$186.21
United Setting Professional Modifier None Typical Low $4.17 Median $5.89 Typical High $13.18	Professional	None	$4.17	$5.89	$13.18

Where Delaware sits

The same service costs 3.2 times more in Alaska than in Georgia. 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.

Delaware· 37th of 51

$8.13

AK $22.39GA $6.92

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.