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Cell Count in Spinal or Joint Fluid

Georgia 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 October 2026.

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

$4.17

Typical negotiated rate. In Georgia, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $4.17 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3.16 from a physician practice, and about $6.31 from a hospital or other facility.

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 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$3.16$2.34 to $6.92
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$6.31$4.68 to $10.00

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $6 · 10th to 90th $4 to $16Professionalmedian $3 · 10th to 90th $1 to $10
$2$5$10$20$50facility $6professional $3

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.16
Median
$3.16
Typical High
$8.71
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.16
Median
$4.07
Typical High
$4.57
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.88
Median
$2.88
Typical High
$2.88
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.17
Median
$6.31
Typical High
$16.22
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1.45
Median
$2.45
Typical High
$9.55
CareSource
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.02
Median
$3.02
Typical High
$3.02
CareSource
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.09
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$4.68
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.68
Median
$10.47
Typical High
$26.30
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.88
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$7.24
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$5.25
Median
$7.08
Typical High
$17.38
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$10.47
Median
$10.47
Typical High
$10.47
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.14
Median
$3.47
Typical High
$10.00
2 more rates with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$1.58
Median
$2.00
Typical High
$2.29
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$0.63
Median
$0.79
Typical High
$0.91

Where Georgia sits

The same service costs 4.0 times more in Alaska than in Maryland. 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.

Georgia· 38th of 51

$4.17

AK $14.13MD $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.