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Emergency Opening of the Windpipe

Pennsylvania 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?

$2,692

Typical facility fee. In Pennsylvania, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,692 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $1,585 to $5,370.

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.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,692 · 10th to 90th $661 to $8,318
$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $2,692

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
$660.69
Median
$2,691.53
Typical High
$8,317.64
Capital Blue Cross
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,630.27
Median
$2,691.53
Typical High
$57,543.99
Geisinger
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$660.69
Median
$660.69
Typical High
$660.69
Highmark BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4,265.80
Median
$4,265.80
Typical High
$4,265.80
Martin's Point
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$660.69
Median
$2,398.83
Typical High
$8,317.64
UPMC Health Plan
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$1,949.84
Typical High
$3,388.44
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,096.48
Median
$2,818.38
Typical High
$5,248.07

Where Pennsylvania 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.

Pennsylvania· 20th of 50

$2,692

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.