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Chromosome Study With Banding, Limited Cell Count

Louisiana 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?

$331

Typical negotiated rate. In Louisiana, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $331 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $316 from a physician practice, and about $363 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$316$282 to $347
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$363$302 to $692

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $363 · 10th to 90th $263 to $955Professionalmedian $316 · 10th to 90th $158 to $891
$100$200$500$1Kfacility $363professional $316

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
$281.84
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$954.99
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$323.59
Typical High
$1,737.80
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$269.15
Median
$478.63
Typical High
$794.33
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$363.08
Christus
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$39.81
Median
$39.81
Typical High
$263.03
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$831.76
Typical High
$1,230.27
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$407.38
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$239.88
Typical High
$263.03
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$380.19

Where Louisiana 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.

Louisiana· 9th of 51

$331

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.