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Planned Opening Into The Windpipe

California rates for HCPCS 31600

Creates an opening through the front of the neck into the windpipe and places a tube through it so air reaches the lungs directly. It is done as a planned operation, most often when a breathing tube through the mouth is needed for a long stretch or the upper airway is blocked or unsafe. Speech and swallowing are addressed once the opening has settled.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Planned Opening Into The Windpipe cost?

$5,754

Typical facility fee. In California, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $5,754 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $3,890 to $8,710.

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.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $5,888 · 10th to 90th $2,291 to $13,804Professionalmedian $324 · 10th to 90th $240 to $661
$100$500$2K$10Kfacility $5,888professional $324

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
$2,398.83
Median
$6,456.54
Typical High
$18,197.01
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,548.13
Median
$5,888.44
Typical High
$13,489.63
Blue Shield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$74.13
Median
$6,309.57
Typical High
$12,589.25
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$316.23
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$316.23
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$199.53
Median
$295.12
Typical High
$398.11
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$251.19
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$676.08
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$54.95
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$8,317.64
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$316.23
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$758.58
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,981.07
Median
$7,413.10
Typical High
$15,135.61

Where California sits

The same service costs 24.5 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.

California· 7th of 50

$5,754

IN $7,413WV $302

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.