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Tuberculosis and Acid-Fast Bacteria Culture

Arkansas 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?

$16.98

Typical negotiated rate. In Arkansas, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $16.98 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $9.12 from a physician practice, and about $16.98 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 7 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$9.12$8.51 to $16.98
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$16.98$13.49 to $33.88

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $17 · 10th to 90th $12 to $89Professionalmedian $9 · 10th to 90th $8 to $22
$5$10$20$50$100facility $17professional $9

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
$16.98
Median
$23.44
Typical High
$93.33
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.13
Median
$9.77
Typical High
$22.91
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$18.20
Median
$18.20
Typical High
$18.20
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$12.30
Median
$12.30
Typical High
$16.98
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$12.30
Median
$18.20
Typical High
$18.20
CareSource
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.08
Median
$7.08
Typical High
$10.72
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.51
Median
$14.45
Typical High
$28.84
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.46
Median
$12.02
Typical High
$16.98
Qualchoice
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$20.89
Median
$20.89
Typical High
$20.89
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.08
Median
$10.72
Typical High
$18.20
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.37
Median
$6.46
Typical High
$18.20

Where Arkansas 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.

Arkansas· 20th of 51

$16.98

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.