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Chest Telescope With Biopsy Of Heart Sac

Virginia rates for HCPCS 32604

A thin telescope with a camera is passed through a small incision between the ribs so the surgeon can look inside the chest, and a piece of the sac surrounding the heart is taken for testing. The sample is examined in a laboratory to find the cause of fluid build-up, inflammation, or suspected cancer. It avoids the larger incision needed for open chest surgery.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Chest Telescope With Biopsy Of Heart Sac cost?

$550

Typical negotiated rate. In Virginia, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $550 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $550 from a physician practice, and about $5,754 from a hospital or other facility.

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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$550$468 to $631
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$5,754$1,820 to $10,000

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $5,754 · 10th to 90th $562 to $14,125Professionalmedian $550 · 10th to 90th $437 to $851
$500$1K$2K$5K$10K$20Kfacility $5,754professional $550

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$549.54
Median
$5,495.41
Typical High
$14,125.38
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$524.81
Median
$537.03
Typical High
$3,388.44
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$8,511.38
Median
$11,220.18
Typical High
$12,589.25
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$436.52
Median
$524.81
Typical High
$676.08
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
80 · Assistant surgeon
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$107.15
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
AS · PA/NP assist
Typical Low
$61.66
Median
$74.13
Typical High
$93.33
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$457.09
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$5,623.41
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$512.86
Median
$4,897.79
Typical High
$9,772.37
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$549.54
Typical High
$831.76
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$512.86
Typical High
$630.96
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$707.95
Median
$891.25
Typical High
$891.25
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$691.83
Typical High
$891.25
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$630.96
Median
$630.96
Typical High
$630.96
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$478.63
Median
$1,778.28
Typical High
$10,232.93
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$478.63
Median
$630.96
Typical High
$7,413.10
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,995.26
Median
$8,511.38
Typical High
$20,417.38
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$398.11
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$977.24
5 more rates with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$275.42
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$107.15
Typical High
$109.65
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$389.05
Median
$407.38
Typical High
$416.87
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$77.62
Median
$81.28
Typical High
$83.18
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$51.29
Median
$53.70
Typical High
$54.95

Where Virginia sits

The same service costs 3.9 times more in Alaska than in New York. 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.

Virginia· 46th of 51

$550

AK $1,905NY $490

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.