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Cell Count in Spinal or Joint Fluid

Massachusetts 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?

$6.03

Typical negotiated rate. In Massachusetts, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $6.03 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $4.68 from a physician practice, and about $11.48 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 9 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$4.68$4.47 to $7.08
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$11.48$6.76 to $14.79

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $11 · 10th to 90th $4 to $23Professionalmedian $5 · 10th to 90th $4 to $14
$5$20$100$500$2Kfacility $11professional $5

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
$12.30
Typical High
$23.99
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.98
Median
$4.47
Typical High
$21.38
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$6.61
Typical High
$100.00
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.82
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$11.48
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.12
Median
$11.48
Typical High
$18.20
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.47
Median
$4.47
Typical High
$6.03
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.72
Median
$7.41
Typical High
$12.30
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.82
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$12.59
Fallon Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.37
Median
$37.15
Typical High
$7,079.46
Fallon Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7.08
Median
$7.08
Typical High
$8.32
Harvard Pilgrim
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.68
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$14.45
Health New England
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.03
Median
$21.88
Typical High
$28.18
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.27
Median
$6.61
Typical High
$100.00
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.82
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$11.48
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.82
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$7.76
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.82
Median
$4.37
Typical High
$12.02

Where Massachusetts sits

The same service costs 4.5 times more in North Carolina than in Washington, DC. 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.

Massachusetts· 26th of 51

$6.03

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.