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Tuberculosis and Acid-Fast Bacteria Culture

North Carolina 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?

$23.99

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $23.99 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $9.77 from a physician practice, and about $44.67 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$9.77$8.71 to $14.13
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$44.67$17.78 to $117

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $45 · 10th to 90th $9 to $162Professionalmedian $10 · 10th to 90th $8 to $31
$5$10$20$50$100$200$500facility $45professional $10

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
$9.33
Median
$44.67
Typical High
$162.18
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.71
Median
$10.47
Typical High
$30.90
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.24
Median
$7.59
Typical High
$117.49
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$18.20
Median
$24.55
Typical High
$40.74
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.13
Median
$9.77
Typical High
$9.77
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.41
Median
$20.89
Typical High
$48.98
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.50
Median
$7.41
Typical High
$16.60
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.91
Median
$20.89
Typical High
$31.62
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.71
Median
$9.77
Typical High
$21.38
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.71
Median
$24.55
Typical High
$26.92
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.37
Median
$14.13
Typical High
$19.95
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.57
Median
$7.59
Typical High
$15.14
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$81.28
Median
$81.28
Typical High
$100.00

Where North Carolina 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.

North Carolina· 9th of 51

$23.99

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.