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Emergency Airway Through The Neck Membrane

California rates for HCPCS 31605

An emergency opening is cut through the thin membrane at the front of the neck, just below the Adam's apple, and a tube is inserted so the patient can breathe. It is done when someone cannot breathe and a tube cannot be passed through the mouth or nose. It is a life-saving measure carried out in minutes and converted to a longer-term airway later if needed.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Emergency Airway Through The Neck Membrane cost?

$5,495

Typical facility fee. In California, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $5,495 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $3,802 to $8,318.

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 $5,754 · 10th to 90th $1,778 to $13,804Professionalmedian $347 · 10th to 90th $240 to $676
$100$500$2K$10Kfacility $5,754professional $347

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
$3,388.44
Median
$5,888.44
Typical High
$13,489.63
Blue Shield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$74.13
Median
$4,168.69
Typical High
$8,912.51
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$338.84
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$199.53
Median
$251.19
Typical High
$380.19
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$363.08
Typical High
$691.83
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$54.95
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$2,041.74
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$363.08
Typical High
$602.56
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$1,548.82
Typical High
$6,456.54

Where California sits

The same service costs 18.6 times more in California than in Wyoming. 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 49

$5,495

CA $5,495WY $295

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.