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Quantitative Culture For Oxygen-Free Bacteria

South 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 South Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $7.76 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $7.59 from a physician practice, and about $23.99 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 5 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$7.59$7.59 to $7.94
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$23.99$10.23 to $30.90

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $24 · 10th to 90th $8 to $46Professionalmedian $8 · 10th to 90th $7 to $10
$5$10$20$50facility $24professional $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
$7.59
Median
$23.99
Typical High
$45.71
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.59
Median
$7.59
Typical High
$8.32
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$10.23
Median
$28.18
Typical High
$50.12
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.46
Median
$10.00
Typical High
$15.85
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$18.20
Median
$31.62
Typical High
$75.86
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$6.03
Typical High
$12.02
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.24
Median
$10.96
Typical High
$24.55
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.37
Median
$9.55
Typical High
$11.48
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.07
Median
$6.61
Typical High
$13.18

Where South 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.

South Carolina· 48th 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.