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Urine Bacteria Colony Count Culture

Alabama rates for HCPCS 87086

This lab test grows a urine sample on a culture plate and counts the number of bacterial colonies that develop, which helps determine whether a urinary tract infection is present and how significant it is. Higher colony counts generally indicate a true infection rather than incidental contamination. It's a standard test used to confirm and help guide treatment of suspected urinary tract infections.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Urine Bacteria Colony Count Culture cost?

$7.59

Typical negotiated rate. In Alabama, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $7.59 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $7.24 from a physician practice, and about $12.30 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$7.24$6.92 to $8.13
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$12.30$9.33 to $30.90

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $12 · 10th to 90th $8 to $79Professionalmedian $7 · 10th to 90th $5 to $10
$5$20$100$500$2Kfacility $12professional $7

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
$8.13
Median
$20.42
Typical High
$100.00
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.03
Median
$7.24
Typical High
$9.77
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.69
Median
$5.37
Typical High
$5.62
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$10.00
Median
$11.75
Typical High
$15.85
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.62
Median
$5.89
Typical High
$8.32
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.31
Median
$8.51
Typical High
$25.70
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.63
Median
$5.13
Typical High
$28.84
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$7.24
Typical High
$10.23
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.39
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$11.22

Where Alabama sits

The same service costs 11.5 times more in West Virginia than in Vermont. 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.

Alabama· 48th of 51

$7.59

WV $83.18VT $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.