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Starting Vein-To-Vein ECMO Life Support

Arkansas rates for HCPCS 33946

Covers the physician work of setting up and starting an external machine that draws blood from a vein, adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide, then returns the blood to a vein. This form supports failing lungs while the patient's own heart continues to do the pumping. It covers getting the support running, not the day-to-day management afterwards.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Starting Vein-To-Vein ECMO Life Support cost?

$909

Typical total for the visit. In Arkansas, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $909 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $407 to the doctor who performs it, and $501 to the hospital or surgery center where it takes place. Done somewhere without a facility charge, you pay only the first.

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 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$407$363 to $513
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$501$417 to $1,023

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $501 · 10th to 90th $309 to $1,995Professionalmedian $407 · 10th to 90th $288 to $617
$200$500$1K$2Kfacility $501professional $407

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
$380.19
Median
$1,698.24
Typical High
$2,511.89
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$316.23
Median
$380.19
Typical High
$398.11
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$489.78
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$489.78
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$501.19
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$1,000.00
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$338.84
Median
$512.86
Typical High
$645.65
Qualchoice
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$562.34
Typical High
$562.34
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$281.84
Median
$457.09
Typical High
$1,995.26
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$281.84
Median
$407.38
Typical High
$645.65
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
$165.96
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$186.21
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$66.07
Median
$75.86
Typical High
$75.86
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$251.19
Median
$281.84
Typical High
$281.84
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$50.12
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$56.23
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$38.02
Typical High
$38.02

Where Arkansas sits

The same service costs 6.1 times more in Alaska than in Maryland. 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.

Physician feeFacility fee

Arkansas· 50th of 51

$909

$407 physician + $501 facility

AK $5,496MD $901

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.