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Antibiotic Susceptibility Test, Each Drug

Washington 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?

$4.47

Typical negotiated rate. In Washington, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $4.47 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $4.27 from a physician practice, and about $7.08 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 9 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$4.27$3.24 to $4.79
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$7.08$5.25 to $9.55

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $7 · 10th to 90th $4 to $13Professionalmedian $4 · 10th to 90th $2 to $6
$2$5$10$20facility $7professional $4

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
$4.47
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$19.05
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.39
Median
$4.47
Typical High
$6.61
Asuris Northwest Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$5.50
Typical High
$13.18
Asuris Northwest Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$4.27
Typical High
$4.79
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.90
Median
$8.71
Typical High
$15.14
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.88
Median
$5.25
Typical High
$7.24
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.02
Median
$4.17
Typical High
$4.17
Pacific Source
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$5.25
Typical High
$9.33
Premera BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$8.32
Typical High
$13.18
Premera BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$4.27
Typical High
$5.75
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$7.76
Typical High
$13.18
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$4.27
Typical High
$4.79
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.79
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$5.75
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$2.14
Typical High
$5.37
Wellpoint
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.14
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$8.51
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
$2.24
Median
$2.24
Typical High
$2.29
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$0.89
Median
$0.89
Typical High
$0.91

Where Washington 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.

Washington· 28th of 51

$4.47

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.