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Antibiotic Susceptibility Test, Each Drug

Virginia 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?

$4.79

Typical negotiated rate. In Virginia, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $4.79 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3.55 from a physician practice, and about $9.55 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 8 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 $4.47
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$9.55$4.79 to $23.44

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $10 · 10th to 90th $4 to $44Professionalmedian $4 · 10th to 90th $2 to $12
$1.0$10.0$100.0$1.0K$10.0Kfacility $10professional $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
$5.37
Median
$13.18
Typical High
$50.12
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$3.80
Typical High
$10.96
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$19.05
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.34
Median
$2.34
Typical High
$3.63
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$14.13
Median
$23.99
Typical High
$33.11
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$9.77
Typical High
$22.39
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.69
Median
$3.39
Typical High
$8.13
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$7.08
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.98
Median
$7.94
Typical High
$9.33
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$4.27
Typical High
$7.59
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.94
Median
$7.94
Typical High
$10.00
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$8.13
Typical High
$10,000.00
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$8.32
Typical High
$10,000.00
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$8.13
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$2.82
Typical High
$5.01

Where Virginia 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.

Virginia $4.79 · 37th 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.