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Free Muscle Flap For Facial Paralysis

Massachusetts rates for HCPCS 15842

Microsurgery that transfers a muscle from elsewhere in the body into a paralysed face along with its own artery, vein, and nerve. Those vessels are reconnected under a microscope so the muscle keeps its blood supply, and the nerve is wired to a source of signal so the muscle can contract and produce a smile. It is used for long-standing facial paralysis where the original muscles can no longer recover.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Free Muscle Flap For Facial Paralysis cost?

$3,802

Typical negotiated rate. In Massachusetts, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3,802 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $4,074 from a physician practice, and about $2,138 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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$4,074$3,020 to $6,761
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$2,138$1,122 to $3,388

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,138 · 10th to 90th $631 to $4,786Professionalmedian $4,074 · 10th to 90th $2,344 to $17,378
$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $2,138professional $4,074

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

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,949.84
Median
$3,235.94
Typical High
$5,248.07
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,819.70
Median
$1,819.70
Typical High
$6,760.83
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$1,318.26
Typical High
$5,248.07
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,511.89
Median
$6,309.57
Typical High
$17,378.01
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$831.76
Median
$1,513.56
Typical High
$2,187.76
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,951.21
Median
$3,019.95
Typical High
$6,456.54
Fallon Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,187.76
Median
$3,235.94
Typical High
$3,981.07
Fallon Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,951.21
Median
$3,388.44
Typical High
$3,981.07
Harvard Pilgrim
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$501.19
Median
$1,318.26
Typical High
$5,128.61
Harvard Pilgrim
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,884.03
Median
$5,248.07
Typical High
$7,585.78
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$1,318.26
Typical High
$5,248.07
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,511.89
Median
$6,309.57
Typical High
$17,378.01
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$575.44
Median
$1,380.38
Typical High
$6,918.31
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,344.23
Median
$3,801.89
Typical High
$9,332.54
Well Sense
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$691.83
Median
$2,187.76
Typical High
$3,981.07
Well Sense
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,819.70
Median
$1,819.70
Typical High
$2,187.76
6 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
$912.01
Median
$912.01
Typical High
$3,388.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$363.08
Typical High
$1,348.96
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$1,348.96
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$5,128.61
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$269.15
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$1,023.29
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$181.97
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$676.08
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$1,258.93
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$4,786.30

Where Massachusetts sits

The same service costs 15.8 times more in Alaska than in Texas. 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.

Massachusetts· 12th of 51

$3,802

AK $8,128TX $513

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.