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Tuberculosis and Acid-Fast Bacteria Culture

Colorado 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?

$18.20

Typical negotiated rate. In Colorado, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $18.20 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $9.12 from a physician practice, and about $50.12 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$8.13 to $10.72
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$50.12$20.42 to $186

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $50 · 10th to 90th $10 to $295Professionalmedian $9 · 10th to 90th $7 to $12
$5$20$100$500facility $50professional $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
$10.00
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$512.86
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.13
Median
$9.12
Typical High
$12.30
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$13.49
Median
$32.36
Typical High
$54.95
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.37
Median
$10.72
Typical High
$10.72
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.17
Median
$7.59
Typical High
$28.18
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.62
Median
$7.08
Typical High
$12.88
Denver HMP
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.13
Median
$11.75
Typical High
$22.39
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$15.49
Median
$112.20
Typical High
$112.20
Select Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$11.22
Median
$19.95
Typical High
$22.91
Select Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.59
Median
$7.59
Typical High
$10.72
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.13
Median
$10.72
Typical High
$16.22
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.57
Median
$6.31
Typical High
$10.23

Where Colorado 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.

Colorado· 18th of 51

$18.20

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.