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Starting Vein-To-Vein ECMO Life Support

Illinois 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?

$1,859

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,859 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $447 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,413 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 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$447$372 to $501
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,413$708 to $3,311

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,413 · 10th to 90th $490 to $6,607Professionalmedian $447 · 10th to 90th $339 to $676
$50$200$1K$5K$20Kfacility $1,413professional $447

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
$1,621.81
Typical High
$7,762.47
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$323.59
Median
$380.19
Typical High
$575.44
BCBS Illinois
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,659.59
Median
$3,548.13
Typical High
$7,244.36
BCBS Illinois
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$489.78
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$512.86
Median
$758.58
Typical High
$2,511.89
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$338.84
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$602.56
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$316.23
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$1,258.93
Hally Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$100.00
Typical High
$100.00
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$436.52
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$33.11
Typical High
$33.11
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$489.78
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$7,079.46
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$338.84
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$724.44
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
$169.82
Median
$190.55
Typical High
$190.55
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$67.61
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
$51.29
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$56.23
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$33.88
Median
$38.02
Typical High
$38.02

Where Illinois 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

Illinois· 19th of 51

$1,859

$447 physician + $1,413 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.