go back

Antibiotic Susceptibility Test, Each Drug

Washington, DC rates for HCPCS 87181

A follow-on laboratory test once bacteria have been grown from a sample. The organism is exposed to an antibiotic mixed into the material it is growing on, to see whether that drug stops it and at what strength, with a result reported for each drug tested.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Antibiotic Susceptibility Test, Each Drug cost?

$5.89

Typical negotiated rate. In Washington, DC, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $5.89 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3.55 from a physician practice, and about $17.38 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$3.55$3.55 to $3.55
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$17.38$8.71 to $28.84

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $17 · 10th to 90th $4 to $40Professionalmedian $4 · 10th to 90th $4 to $17
$2.0$5.0$10.0$20.0$50.0$100.0facility $17professional $4

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
$3.55
Median
$27.54
Typical High
$39.81
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$3.55
Typical High
$3.55
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$13.49
Median
$23.99
Typical High
$52.48
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.76
Median
$7.94
Typical High
$18.62
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.69
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$38.02
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.12
Median
$9.12
Typical High
$9.55
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.19
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$5.75
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$2.88
Typical High
$8.13

Where Washington, DC sits

The same service costs 3.8 times more in West Virginia than in Connecticut. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Pick one to see its carriers and full range.

Washington, DC $5.89 · 16th of 51
WV $13.49CT $3.55

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.