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Chromosome Study With Banding, Limited Cell Count

Montana 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 Montana, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $331 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $302 from a physician practice, and about $398 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 6 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$302$214 to $398
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$398$331 to $776

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $398 · 10th to 90th $263 to $1,622Professionalmedian $302 · 10th to 90th $151 to $1,738
$200$1K$5K$20K$100Kfacility $398professional $302

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
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$1,737.80
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$354.81
Median
$1,621.81
Typical High
$87,096.36
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$354.81
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$354.81
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$1,513.56
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$120.23
Median
$120.23
Typical High
$380.19
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$794.33
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$794.33
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$371.54
Median
$512.86
Typical High
$1,513.56
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$239.88
Typical High
$426.58
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$316.23
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$316.23
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$158.49
Typical High
$263.03

Where Montana 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.

Montana· 10th 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.