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Opening a Joint at the Base of the Hand

Maryland rates for HCPCS 26070

Opens one of the joints where a finger's long hand bone meets the small bones of the wrist, so the surgeon can look inside, drain infection, or take out a loose fragment or foreign object. It is done through a short incision directly over the joint. It targets that base joint rather than the knuckle or the finger joints further out.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Opening a Joint at the Base of the Hand cost?

$347

Typical physician fee. In Maryland, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $347 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $324 to $447.

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 $813 · 10th to 90th $427 to $1,514Professionalmedian $331 · 10th to 90th $275 to $501
$500$1K$2Kfacility $813professional $331

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
$323.59
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$346.74
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$331.13
Median
$371.54
Typical High
$371.54
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$891.25
Typical High
$1,584.89
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$288.40
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$588.84
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$331.13
Median
$380.19
Typical High
$588.84
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,380.38
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$691.83
Wellpoint
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$275.42
Typical High
$512.86
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
$162.18
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$173.78
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$64.57
Median
$64.57
Typical High
$69.18
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$245.47
Median
$245.47
Typical High
$257.04
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$48.98
Median
$48.98
Typical High
$51.29
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$32.36
Median
$32.36
Typical High
$34.67
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$229.09
Typical High
$239.88

Where Maryland sits

The same service costs 6.2 times more in Alaska than in Utah. 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· 41st of 51

$347

AK $1,349UT $219

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.