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Cell Count in Spinal or Joint Fluid

Minnesota 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?

$4.68

Typical negotiated rate. In Minnesota, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $4.68 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $4.68 from a physician practice, and about $15.49 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 6 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 $5.75
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$15.49$4.68 to $37.15

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $15 · 10th to 90th $5 to $78Professionalmedian $5 · 10th to 90th $4 to $9
$5$10$20$50$100$200facility $15professional $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
$4.47
Median
$41.69
Typical High
$46.77
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.63
Median
$4.47
Typical High
$50.12
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.68
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$165.96
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.80
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$4.68
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.77
Median
$16.98
Typical High
$46.77
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.89
Median
$7.41
Typical High
$9.77
Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$10.96
Median
$15.85
Typical High
$37.15
Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$5.75
Median
$5.75
Typical High
$9.55
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6.17
Median
$47.86
Typical High
$100.00
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.34
Median
$3.31
Typical High
$10.00
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.72
Median
$5.62
Typical High
$20.42
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.34
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$10.47

Where Minnesota 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.

Minnesota· 40th of 51

$4.68

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.