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Chromosome Study With Banding, Limited Cell Count

Washington, DC rates for HCPCS 88261

Grows cells from a blood or tissue sample, arrests them while their chromosomes are visible, and photographs and arranges the chromosomes so their number and structure can be checked. A stain is used that gives each chromosome a striped pattern, letting missing, extra, or rearranged pieces be spotted. This is the most limited version, examining only a small number of cells.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Chromosome Study With Banding, Limited Cell Count cost?

$200

Typical negotiated rate. In Washington, DC, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $200 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $200 from a physician practice, and about $447 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 5 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$200$195 to $204
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$447$200 to $832

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $447 · 10th to 90th $200 to $1,230Professionalmedian $200 · 10th to 90th $191 to $501
$100$200$500$1Kfacility $447professional $200

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
$199.53
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,230.27
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$204.17
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$1,862.09
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$1,000.00
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$295.12
Typical High
$1,122.02
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$457.09
Typical High
$537.03
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$616.60
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$173.78
Typical High
$446.68

Where Washington, DC sits

The same service costs 3.3 times more in Alaska than in Delaware. 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, DC· 50th of 51

$200

AK $589DE $178

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.