go back

Emergency Opening of the Windpipe

California rates for HCPCS 31603

Creates an airway in an emergency by cutting through the front of the neck directly into the windpipe and placing a tube so the person can breathe. It is done when the airway above is blocked or cannot be secured any other way and speed matters more than a tidy incision. Once the crisis passes the opening is usually converted to a planned, better-positioned one or allowed to close.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Emergency Opening of the Windpipe cost?

$6,761

Typical facility fee. In California, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $6,761 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $4,786 to $10,233.

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 $7,079 · 10th to 90th $2,239 to $15,849Professionalmedian $331 · 10th to 90th $182 to $631
$100$500$2K$10Kfacility $7,079professional $331

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
$1,737.80
Median
$5,888.44
Typical High
$17,378.01
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4,570.88
Median
$7,943.28
Typical High
$15,848.93
Blue Shield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$74.13
Median
$3,388.44
Typical High
$7,079.46
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$331.13
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$977.24
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$398.11
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$630.96
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,715.35
Median
$19,498.45
Typical High
$19,498.45
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$354.81
Typical High
$602.56
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,290.87
Median
$4,265.80
Typical High
$9,549.93

Where California sits

The same service costs 21.4 times more in California than in North Dakota. 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· 1st of 50

$6,761

CA $6,761ND $316

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.