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Free Muscle Flap For Facial Paralysis

Maryland 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?

$2,512

Typical physician fee. In Maryland, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,512 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $1,380 to $2,818.

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.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,023 · 10th to 90th $479 to $1,778Professionalmedian $2,692 · 10th to 90th $2,188 to $3,715
$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,023professional $2,692

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
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,691.53
Median
$2,691.53
Typical High
$2,691.53
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,511.89
Median
$2,818.38
Typical High
$2,818.38
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$630.96
Median
$1,148.15
Typical High
$2,187.76
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,238.72
Median
$2,570.40
Typical High
$4,677.35
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,454.71
Median
$2,754.23
Typical High
$5,248.07
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,380.38
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,995.26
Median
$2,754.23
Typical High
$6,165.95
Wellpoint
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,949.84
Median
$1,949.84
Typical High
$3,801.89
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
$1,348.96
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$1,348.96
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$549.54
Typical High
$549.54
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$2,041.74
Median
$2,041.74
Typical High
$2,041.74
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$407.38
Typical High
$407.38
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$269.15
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$269.15
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$1,905.46
Median
$1,905.46
Typical High
$1,905.46

Where Maryland 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.

Maryland· 38th of 51

$2,512

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.