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Quantitative Culture For Oxygen-Free Bacteria

North Carolina rates for HCPCS 87073

A laboratory culture that grows bacteria able to live without oxygen from a sample such as tissue or fluid, counts how many are present, and gives a preliminary identification. Counting the organisms helps separate a genuine infection from harmless contamination.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Quantitative Culture For Oxygen-Free Bacteria cost?

$7.76

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $7.76 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $7.76 from a physician practice, and about $10.23 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 6 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$7.76$7.76 to $8.51
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$10.23$7.76 to $28.84

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $10 · 10th to 90th $6 to $37Professionalmedian $8 · 10th to 90th $6 to $13
$5$10$20$50$100facility $10professional $8

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
$6.61
Median
$9.33
Typical High
$32.36
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.59
Median
$7.76
Typical High
$12.88
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$16.22
Median
$25.70
Typical High
$35.48
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.24
Median
$8.51
Typical High
$8.71
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.61
Median
$19.05
Typical High
$43.65
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.90
Median
$6.31
Typical High
$14.79
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.89
Median
$16.60
Typical High
$19.05
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.13
Median
$6.92
Typical High
$18.62
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.17
Median
$6.17
Typical High
$6.17
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.01
Median
$12.30
Typical High
$16.60
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$6.61
Typical High
$13.18
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$70.79
Typical High
$70.79

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 2.3 times more in Vermont than in Maryland. 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· 46th of 51

$7.76

VT $16.60MD $7.24

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.