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Starting Vein-To-Vein ECMO Life Support

Iowa 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?

$1,773

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,773 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $676 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,096 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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$676$468 to $813
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,096$589 to $3,020

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,096 · 10th to 90th $479 to $6,607Professionalmedian $676 · 10th to 90th $355 to $977
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,096professional $676

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
$489.78
Median
$5,888.44
Typical High
$7,943.28
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$288.40
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$489.78
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$660.69
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$831.76
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$436.52
Typical High
$1,096.48
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$812.83
Typical High
$4,677.35
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$371.54
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$1,380.38
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$676.08
Median
$741.31
Typical High
$831.76
Midlands
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$954.99
Typical High
$954.99
Oscar Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$562.34
Typical High
$707.95
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$588.84
Median
$2,344.23
Typical High
$6,918.31
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$338.84
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$977.24
Wellmark
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$457.09
Median
$588.84
Typical High
$691.83

Where Iowa 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

Iowa· 23rd of 51

$1,773

$676 physician + $1,096 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.