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Open Biopsy of a Neck or Lower Back Vertebra

Washington 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?

$1,072

Typical facility fee. In Washington, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,072 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $646 to $9,550.

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.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,072 · 10th to 90th $501 to $20,893
$500$1K$2K$5K$10K$20K$50Kfacility $1,072

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
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$794.33
Median
$6,456.54
Typical High
$18,620.87
Asuris Northwest Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$13,803.84
Median
$22,387.21
Typical High
$38,904.51
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$707.95
Median
$870.96
Typical High
$10,000.00
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$851.14
Typical High
$8,709.64
Pacific Source
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$524.81
Median
$812.83
Typical High
$831.76
Premera BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$562.34
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$2,187.76
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$13,803.84
Median
$21,379.62
Typical High
$38,904.51
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,454.71
Median
$21,379.62
Typical High
$41,686.94

Where Washington sits

The same service costs 53.7 times more in Indiana than in West Virginia. 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.

Washington· 41st of 50

$1,072

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.