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Chromosome Study With Banding, Limited Cell Count

North Carolina 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?

$240

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $240 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $214 from a physician practice, and about $282 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$214$174 to $263
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$282$251 to $575

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $282 · 10th to 90th $224 to $832Professionalmedian $214 · 10th to 90th $151 to $398
$200$500$1Kfacility $282professional $214

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
$223.87
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$831.76
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$173.78
Median
$213.80
Typical High
$398.11
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$758.58
Typical High
$758.58
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$398.11
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$1,202.26
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$158.49
Typical High
$389.05
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$245.47
Median
$245.47
Typical High
$245.47
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$213.80
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$501.19
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$269.15
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$269.15
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$331.13
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$165.96
Typical High
$407.38
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,258.93
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$1,258.93
Wellcare
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,548.82
Median
$1,548.82
Typical High
$1,995.26

Where North Carolina 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.

North Carolina· 37th of 51

$240

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.