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Open Biopsy of a Neck or Lower Back Vertebra

Montana rates for HCPCS 20251

Through an incision, the surgeon exposes the body of a vertebra in the neck or the lower back and takes a sample of bone from it for laboratory examination. It is used when imaging shows infection, a growth, or unexplained destruction of the bone and a diagnosis is needed. Open sampling is chosen when a needle sample is not possible or has not given an answer.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Open Biopsy of a Neck or Lower Back Vertebra cost?

$724

Typical facility fee. In Montana, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $724 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $692 to $759.

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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $724 · 10th to 90th $550 to $891
$500.0$1.0K$2.0K$5.0K$10.0K$20.0Kfacility $724

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
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$660.69
Median
$660.69
Typical High
$660.69
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$691.83
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$891.25
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$478.63
Median
$602.56
Typical High
$870.96
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$537.03
Typical High
$14,791.08

Where Montana sits

The same service costs 53.7 times more in Indiana than in West Virginia. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Pick one to see its carriers and full range.

Montana $724 · 46th of 50
IN $22,387WV $417

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.