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Cell Count in Spinal or Joint Fluid

Alabama rates for HCPCS 89050

A laboratory count of the cells in a body fluid other than blood, such as spinal fluid, joint fluid or fluid drawn from around the lung or abdomen. A raised count points towards infection, inflammation or bleeding in that space.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Cell Count in Spinal or Joint Fluid cost?

$5.37

Typical negotiated rate. In Alabama, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $5.37 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $4.37 from a physician practice, and about $7.08 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 4 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$4.37$3.89 to $5.37
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$7.08$5.37 to $16.22

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $7 · 10th to 90th $5 to $21Professionalmedian $4 · 10th to 90th $3 to $5
$10.0$100.0$1.0Kfacility $7professional $4

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
$4.68
Median
$5.37
Typical High
$63.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.16
Median
$4.47
Typical High
$5.37
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$13.18
Median
$15.85
Typical High
$21.38
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.31
Median
$3.47
Typical High
$4.79
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.72
Median
$5.01
Typical High
$15.49
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.04
Median
$2.82
Typical High
$16.98
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.75
Median
$4.27
Typical High
$6.03
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$2.75
Typical High
$6.61

Where Alabama sits

The same service costs 4.5 times more in North Carolina than in Washington, DC. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Pick one to see its carriers and full range.

Alabama $5.37 · 32nd of 51
NC $15.85DC $3.55

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.