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Antibiotic Susceptibility Test, Each Drug

Tennessee 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?

$3.80

Typical negotiated rate. In Tennessee, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3.80 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3.72 from a physician practice, and about $15.49 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$3.72$3.55 to $4.79
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$15.49$4.79 to $20.42

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $15 · 10th to 90th $4 to $35Professionalmedian $4 · 10th to 90th $3 to $6
$1.0$2.0$5.0$10.0$20.0$50.0$100.0facility $15professional $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
$3.80
Median
$16.60
Typical High
$32.36
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$3.72
Typical High
$5.50
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$12.59
Median
$12.59
Typical High
$12.59
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$6.46
Typical High
$6.46
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$10.23
Typical High
$19.50
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.24
Median
$3.63
Typical High
$7.24
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$60.26
Median
$60.26
Typical High
$100.00
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$4.79
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$3.89
Typical High
$6.61

Where Tennessee 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.

Tennessee $3.80 · 50th 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.