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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 October 2026.

How much does Antibiotic Susceptibility Test, Each Drug cost?

$3.89

Typical negotiated rate. In Virginia, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3.89 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3.24 from a physician practice, and about $7.94 from a hospital or other facility.

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.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$3.24$2.51 to $4.37
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$7.94$4.79 to $12.02

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $8 · 10th to 90th $4 to $25Professionalmedian $3 · 10th to 90th $2 to $7
$10$100$1K$10Kfacility $8professional $3

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$10.47
Typical High
$12.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$4.47
Typical High
$6.61
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$23.44
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.34
Median
$2.88
Typical High
$3.63
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.39
Median
$3.80
Typical High
$6.61
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$9.77
Typical High
$19.05
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.69
Median
$3.63
Typical High
$7.24
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$7.08
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.98
Median
$7.94
Typical High
$9.33
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.98
Median
$4.47
Typical High
$9.55
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$8.13
Median
$8.13
Typical High
$8.13
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$8.13
Typical High
$10,232.93
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$8.13
Typical High
$10,232.93
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.02
Median
$3.02
Typical High
$5.75
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$2.82
Typical High
$5.01
2 more rates with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$1.78
Median
$2.19
Typical High
$2.24
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$0.71
Median
$0.87
Typical High
$0.89

Where Virginia sits

The same service costs 9.1 times more in Kansas than in Kentucky. 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.

Virginia· 40th of 51

$3.89

KS $11.75KY $1.29

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.