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Cell Count in Spinal or Joint Fluid

Tennessee 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?

$3.80

Typical negotiated rate. In Tennessee, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3.80 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3.72 from a physician practice, and about $16.60 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$3.72$3.55 to $4.47
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$16.60$4.68 to $20.42

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $17 · 10th to 90th $4 to $78Professionalmedian $4 · 10th to 90th $4 to $6
$1$2$5$10$20$50$100facility $17professional $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
$3.72
Median
$16.98
Typical High
$77.62
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$3.55
Typical High
$5.37
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.34
Median
$2.34
Typical High
$12.59
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4.68
Median
$6.46
Typical High
$6.46
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3.55
Median
$10.23
Typical High
$19.50
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.14
Median
$3.63
Typical High
$7.24
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$60.26
Median
$60.26
Typical High
$100.00
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$4.68
Typical High
$5.25
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2.00
Median
$3.24
Typical High
$6.61

Where Tennessee 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.

Tennessee· 50th of 51

$3.80

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.