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Tuberculosis and Acid-Fast Bacteria Culture

South 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?

$36.31

Typical negotiated rate. In South Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $36.31 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $8.71 from a physician practice, and about $148 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$8.71$8.51 to $11.22
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$148$32.36 to $219

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $148 · 10th to 90th $13 to $347Professionalmedian $9 · 10th to 90th $9 to $27
$5$10$20$50$100$200$500facility $148professional $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
$13.49
Median
$177.83
Typical High
$346.74
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.51
Median
$8.71
Typical High
$26.92
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$22.39
Median
$69.18
Typical High
$165.96
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$11.22
Median
$13.18
Typical High
$21.88
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$20.42
Median
$48.98
Typical High
$165.96
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.37
Median
$7.08
Typical High
$15.49
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.51
Median
$12.59
Typical High
$28.18
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.37
Median
$10.72
Typical High
$12.88
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.57
Median
$7.41
Typical High
$15.14

Where South 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.

South Carolina· 4th of 51

$36.31

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.