Lab & pathology
87070 — Culture, bacterial; any source except urine, blood, or stool, aerobic
A bacterial culture test performed on a specimen from any body site except urine, blood, or stool (e.g., throat, wound, sputum, cervix) to identify what bacteria are causing an infection.
- Typical setting: Hospital lab, reference lab
- National avg charge (illustrative): $10–$25 Medicare allowed (CMS CLFS); $15–$60 commercial; varies by region
- Most-disputed reason: Using 87070 for urine cultures — urine cultures require 87086 (urine culture, quantitative); using the wrong code causes rejections
What it means
What 87070 actually means
A bacterial culture test performed on a specimen from any body site except urine, blood, or stool (e.g., throat, wound, sputum, cervix) to identify what bacteria are causing an infection. The specimen is grown in a lab environment with oxygen to identify the organism.
Common errors with this code
What goes wrong on real bills.
Most bills that look correct still contain at least one of these issues. Up to 49% of medical bills contain errors (CFPB).
- Using 87070 for urine cultures — urine cultures require 87086 (urine culture, quantitative); using the wrong code causes rejections
- Billing 87070 alongside sensitivity testing (87186) without documentation that an organism was actually isolated and identified
- Unbundling: billing both 87070 and 87075 (anaerobic culture) when the aerobic culture alone was performed on the specimen
If you see 87070 on your bill
Three steps before paying.
1. Get the itemized bill. If your statement only shows a summary, request the CPT-level itemized bill before paying. Generate the request language →
2. Cross-check against the EOB. Compare what your insurer's Explanation of Benefits says you owe versus what the hospital is asking. They disagree more often than people think. Read the bill-vs-EOB guide →
3. Run a free Bill Scan. Upload the bill (and EOB if you have it) and BillBusted will flag the most likely issues with this specific code in your specific state. Run free scan →
Related codes
Other codes in this category.
People who land on 87070 often also see these adjacent codes on the same bill.
CPT
80050 — General health panel; includes CBC w/diff, CMP, TSH
Lab — check for unbundling and duplicate billing.
CPT
80051 — Electrolyte panel; CO2, chloride, potassium, sodium
Lab — check for unbundling and duplicate billing.
CPT
80053 — Comprehensive metabolic panel
If individual blood tests are also on your bill, you may have an unbundling error.
CPT
80055 — Obstetric panel; CBC w/diff, HBsAg, rubella Ab, syphilis, RBC Ab screen, ABO/Rh
Lab — check for unbundling and duplicate billing.
CPT
80061 — Lipid panel (cholesterol)
If you see HDL or LDL listed separately next to 80061, that's unbundling.
Related BillBusted guides
Plain-English reads if you see 87070 on a bill.
87070 FAQ
Plain-English answers.
What does 87070 usually cost?
$10–$25 Medicare allowed (CMS CLFS); $15–$60 commercial; varies by region. Costs vary by region, payer contract, and whether the service was performed in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a facility fee) versus a free-standing clinic.
What's the most common billing error on 87070?
Using 87070 for urine cultures — urine cultures require 87086 (urine culture, quantitative); using the wrong code causes rejections
What should I do if I see 87070 on my bill?
Request the itemized bill and the matching EOB from your insurer. Compare the units/quantity billed against what you actually received. Run a free BillBusted scan to flag the most likely errors specific to 87070 before paying.
Don't pay 87070 blindly.
The free scan tells you in under 60 seconds whether this charge looks reasonable for your situation.