Price Checker / CPT 38221
How much does Diagnostic Bone Marrow Biopsies cost?
CPT 38221 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 15x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$250–$500
What this should cost
With insurance
~$58,100
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$630
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $5,507 is $5,127 over the fair price (about 15x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Diagnostic Bone Marrow Biopsies
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital , NY | $309 | — | 45431% |
| Centrastate Medical Center FREEHOLD, NJ | $20,224 | $1,984 | 12010% |
| Stonewall Jackson Hospital , WV | $19,031 | $9,515 | 11296% |
| Logan Regional Medical Center Logan, WV | $7,144 | — | 4178% |
| Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital , NY | $5,752 | $2,301 | 3344% |
| Cumberland Healthcare Cumberland, WI | $5,688 | — | 3306% |
| Marshfield Medical Center Rice Lake Hospital RICE LAKE, WI | — | — | 2734% |
| Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center , NC | $4,819 | — | 2699% |
| Novant Health Medical Park Hospital WINSTON-SALEM, NC | $4,819 | — | 2699% |
| Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center THOMASVILLE, NC | $4,819 | — | 2699% |
| Kindred Hospital Aurora Aurora, CO | $4,507 | — | 2599% |
| Kindred Hospital Denver Denver, CO | $4,507 | — | 2599% |
| Kindred Hospital Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | $4,252 | — | 2446% |
| Kindred Hospital Philadelphia - Havertown Havertown, PA | $4,151 | — | 2386% |
| Kindred Hospital Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | $4,151 | — | 2386% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
Send us your bill and we'll compare every line item against Medicare rates and your hospital's published prices. Free review, no obligation.
About Diagnostic Bone Marrow Biopsies
CPT code 38221 refers to diagnostic bone marrow biopsies (billing description: "Dx bone marrow biopsies"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $58 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $167 in a doctor's office.
The Medicare rate is the closest thing to an objective "what this work is actually worth." A fair cash price for the uninsured is generally 1.5–3x that rate. Hospital sticker (gross) charges are often far higher — but almost nobody actually pays them.
What to do if you were overcharged
- 1Send us your bill — we'll identify this code and compare it against the rates shown above.
- 2Get a dispute letter — citing the Medicare rate and your hospital's own published pricing data.
- 3We negotiate for you — 25% of savings, no savings = no fee.