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Needle Puncture Of The Windpipe

North Carolina rates for HCPCS 31612

A needle is passed through the skin of the neck directly into the windpipe so that secretions can be drawn up for testing, or medicine can be delivered straight into the airway. Sampling this way avoids the contamination that comes from passing through the mouth and throat. It is a short bedside procedure done with local anesthetic.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Needle Puncture Of The Windpipe cost?

$91.20

Typical physician fee. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $91.20 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $61.66 to $135.

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 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

How much rates vary

Professionalmedian $91 · 10th to 90th $47 to $209
$50$100$200$500$1Kprofessional $91

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
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$46.77
Median
$91.20
Typical High
$181.97
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$66.07
Median
$102.33
Typical High
$218.78
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$60.26
Median
$102.33
Typical High
$199.53
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$218.78
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$47.86
Median
$83.18
Typical High
$158.49
Wellcare
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$776.25
Median
$1,202.26
Typical High
$1,202.26

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 17.4 times more in Hawaii than in Michigan. 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.

North Carolina· 25th of 51

$91.20

HI $1,148MI $66.07

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.