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Removal Of Buried Skin-Level Hardware

Massachusetts rates for HCPCS 20670

This procedure removes a small piece of orthopedic hardware, such as a pin, wire, or short rod, that was placed near the surface of the skin during an earlier surgery. It does not involve hardware buried deep in bone or muscle. It is typically done once the bone has healed enough that the hardware is no longer needed.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Removal Of Buried Skin-Level Hardware cost?

$447

Typical negotiated rate. In Massachusetts, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $447 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $447 from a physician practice, and about $501 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 10 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$447$234 to $741
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$501$229 to $1,413

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $501 · 10th to 90th $162 to $3,311Professionalmedian $447 · 10th to 90th $162 to $1,175
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $501professional $447

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
$426.58
Median
$2,137.96
Typical High
$3,630.78
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$371.54
Typical High
$575.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$302.00
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$354.81
Median
$1,071.52
Typical High
$3,311.31
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$2,884.03
BCBS Massachusetts
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$162.18
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$371.54
BCBS Massachusetts
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$162.18
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$758.58
BCBS Massachusetts
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$218.78
Typical High
$616.60
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$977.24
Typical High
$1,445.44
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$194.98
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$891.25
Fallon Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$3,311.31
Fallon Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$489.78
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$660.69
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
$186.21
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$1,047.13
Health New England
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,047.13
Median
$1,819.70
Typical High
$1,949.84
Health New England
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$660.69
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$354.81
Median
$1,071.52
Typical High
$3,311.31
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$2,884.03
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$575.44
Median
$1,380.38
Typical High
$6,456.54
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$190.55
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$1,071.52
Well Sense
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$562.34
Well Sense
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$346.74
Well Sense
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$69.18
Median
$102.33
Typical High
$251.19
5 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
$69.18
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$218.78
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$27.54
Median
$74.13
Typical High
$87.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$323.59
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$20.89
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$64.57
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$13.80
Median
$37.15
Typical High
$43.65

Where Massachusetts sits

The same service costs 4.0 times more in Alaska than in Kentucky. 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

$447

AK $759KY $191

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.