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Antibiotic Susceptibility Test, Each Drug

Montana 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?

$6.46

Typical negotiated rate. In Montana, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $6.46 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $6.17 from a physician practice, and about $7.24 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 6 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$6.17$5.50 to $9.33
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$7.24$5.89 to $14.79

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $7 · 10th to 90th $6 to $132Professionalmedian $6 · 10th to 90th $4 to $32
$10.0$100.0$1.0K$10.0K$100.0Kfacility $7professional $6

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
$33.88
Median
$64.57
Typical High
$131.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.50
Median
$5.50
Typical High
$31.62
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.31
Median
$6.31
Typical High
$81,283.05
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.31
Median
$6.31
Typical High
$6.31
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.92
Median
$8.13
Typical High
$26.92
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.24
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$7.24
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$6.46
Typical High
$14.45
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$6.46
Typical High
$14.45
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.17
Median
$9.33
Typical High
$26.92
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$4.27
Typical High
$6.92
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$4.79
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$2.69
Typical High
$6.61

Where Montana 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.

Montana $6.46 · 12th 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.