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Cell Count in Spinal or Joint Fluid

Maryland 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?

$3.55

Typical negotiated rate. In Maryland, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3.55 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3.55 from a physician practice, and about $4.37 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 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$3.55$3.09 to $3.89
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$4.37$3.31 to $6.17

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $4 · 10th to 90th $3 to $10Professionalmedian $4 · 10th to 90th $2 to $6
$2$5$10facility $4professional $4

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

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.47
Median
$5.62
Typical High
$6.92
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.47
Median
$3.55
Typical High
$4.27
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3.39
Median
$3.80
Typical High
$5.62
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.51
Median
$3.31
Typical High
$6.17
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2.51
Median
$4.79
Typical High
$11.22
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4.68
Median
$5.37
Typical High
$9.12
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
$2.75
Typical High
$3.98
Wellpoint
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1.82
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$4.68
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
$1.74
Median
$1.78
Typical High
$1.78
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$0.71
Median
$0.71
Typical High
$0.71

Where Maryland 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.

Maryland· 51st of 51

$3.55

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.