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Pollicization: Making a Thumb From a Finger

Iowa rates for HCPCS 26550

Surgery that moves one of the fingers, along with its tendons, nerves and blood vessels, into the position and angle of a thumb. It gives a working, opposable thumb to someone born without one or who has lost one, so the hand can pinch and grip.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Pollicization: Making a Thumb From a Finger cost?

$3,467

Typical negotiated rate. In Iowa, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3,467 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $3,467 from a physician practice, and about $3,631 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 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$3,467$2,570 to $3,802
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$3,631$2,399 to $5,248

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,631 · 10th to 90th $1,549 to $8,710Professionalmedian $3,467 · 10th to 90th $1,820 to $4,571
$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $3,631professional $3,467

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
$2,570.40
Median
$3,548.13
Typical High
$6,760.83
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,479.11
Median
$2,570.40
Typical High
$2,570.40
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$2,630.27
Typical High
$3,235.94
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,090.30
Median
$3,715.35
Typical High
$4,570.88
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,513.56
Median
$2,398.83
Typical High
$2,884.03
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,659.59
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$8,912.51
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,819.70
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$12,022.64
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,162.28
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$4,365.16
Midlands
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,621.81
Median
$2,630.27
Typical High
$3,235.94
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,090.30
Median
$3,715.35
Typical High
$5,370.32
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,380.38
Median
$4,365.16
Typical High
$9,772.37
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,621.81
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$4,466.84
Wellmark
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,235.94
Median
$3,235.94
Typical High
$3,801.89
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
$741.31
Median
$1,288.25
Typical High
$1,288.25
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$512.86
Typical High
$512.86
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$1,122.02
Median
$1,905.46
Typical High
$1,905.46
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$389.05
Typical High
$389.05
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$257.04
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$1,047.13
Median
$1,778.28
Typical High
$1,778.28

Where Iowa sits

The same service costs 7.8 times more in Alaska than in Texas. 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.

Iowa· 4th of 51

$3,467

AK $6,761TX $871

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.