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Tuberculosis and Acid-Fast Bacteria Culture

Alaska rates for HCPCS 87116

This is a laboratory culture that grows a sample, such as sputum or another body fluid, to look for tuberculosis or related slow-growing bacteria known as acid-fast organisms. Because these organisms grow slowly, results can take days to weeks, and the lab both identifies whether the bacteria are present and provides a preliminary identification of the type.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Tuberculosis and Acid-Fast Bacteria Culture cost?

$19.95

Typical negotiated rate. In Alaska, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $19.95 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $24.55 from a physician practice, and about $9.77 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$24.55$12.59 to $36.31
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$9.77$9.77 to $74.13

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $10 · 10th to 90th $10 to $126Professionalmedian $25 · 10th to 90th $11 to $44
$10$20$50$100$200facility $10professional $25

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
$74.13
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$158.49
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.55
Median
$36.31
Typical High
$70.79
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$29.51
Median
$29.51
Typical High
$29.51
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.94
Median
$12.30
Typical High
$15.49
Moda Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.77
Median
$9.77
Typical High
$10.72
Moda Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$10.72
Median
$10.72
Typical High
$34.67
Premera BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$38.02
Median
$39.81
Typical High
$69.18
Premera BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$19.95
Median
$24.55
Typical High
$53.70
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.77
Median
$9.77
Typical High
$9.77
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.94
Median
$10.72
Typical High
$14.13
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$44.67
Median
$44.67
Typical High
$44.67
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.76
Median
$15.14
Typical High
$104.71

Where Alaska sits

The same service costs 14.5 times more in West Virginia than in Rhode Island. 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.

Alaska· 12th of 51

$19.95

WV $117RI $8.13

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.