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Strengthening A Weakened Bone At The Shoulder

Massachusetts rates for HCPCS 23491

Places metal such as a rod, plate, pins, or wires, sometimes together with bone cement, into a weakened bone at the shoulder to support it before it breaks. It is used when a tumor or other disease has eaten into the bone and a fracture looks likely.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Strengthening A Weakened Bone At The Shoulder cost?

$4,313

Typical total for the visit. In Massachusetts, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $4,313 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $1,622 to the doctor who performs it, and $2,692 to the hospital or surgery center where it takes place. Done somewhere without a facility charge, you pay only the first.

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 9 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$1,622$1,259 to $2,754
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,692$1,202 to $6,761

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,692 · 10th to 90th $832 to $12,589Professionalmedian $1,622 · 10th to 90th $977 to $6,918
$500$1K$2K$5K$10K$20Kfacility $2,692professional $1,622

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
$2,089.30
Median
$2,884.03
Typical High
$4,677.35
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$933.25
Median
$933.25
Typical High
$2,884.03
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$707.95
Median
$3,890.45
Typical High
$14,454.40
AllWays Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,023.29
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$6,918.31
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$676.08
Median
$11,481.54
Typical High
$17,378.01
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,348.96
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$2,691.53
Fallon Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$933.25
Median
$1,288.25
Typical High
$3,311.31
Fallon Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,174.90
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$1,548.82
Harvard Pilgrim
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$891.25
Median
$3,890.45
Typical High
$11,220.18
Harvard Pilgrim
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,122.02
Median
$2,089.30
Typical High
$3,162.28
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$707.95
Median
$3,890.45
Typical High
$14,454.40
Mass General Brigham
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,023.29
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$6,918.31
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,071.52
Median
$3,890.45
Typical High
$19,054.61
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,148.15
Median
$1,584.89
Typical High
$4,466.84
Well Sense
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$831.76
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$6,760.83
Well Sense
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$724.44
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$977.24
7 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
$467.74
Median
$467.74
Typical High
$1,445.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$575.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$691.83
Median
$691.83
Typical High
$2,137.96
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$138.04
Typical High
$426.58
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$93.33
Median
$93.33
Typical High
$288.40
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,995.26
BCBS Massachusetts
Setting
Professional
Modifier
82 · Assistant surgeon, no resident
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$389.05

Where Massachusetts sits

The same service costs 7.2 times more in Alaska than in Hawaii. 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.

Physician feeFacility fee

Massachusetts· 44th of 51

$4,313

$1,622 physician + $2,692 facility

AK $19,657HI $2,734

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.