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Chromosome Study With Banding, Limited Cell Count

South 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?

$257

Typical negotiated rate. In South Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $257 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $214 from a physician practice, and about $676 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$214$204 to $229
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$676$331 to $1,072

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $676 · 10th to 90th $204 to $1,259Professionalmedian $214 · 10th to 90th $186 to $309
$200$500$1Kfacility $676professional $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
$204.17
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,148.15
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$204.17
Typical High
$239.88
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$870.96
Typical High
$1,479.11
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$575.44
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$501.19
Median
$870.96
Typical High
$1,513.56
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$316.23
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$416.87
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$316.23
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$245.47
Typical High
$524.81

Where South 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.

South Carolina· 32nd of 51

$257

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.