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Starting Vein-To-Vein ECMO Life Support

Kentucky 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?

$925

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $925 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $363 to the doctor who performs it, and $562 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 7 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

What's inside this number

Part of the billTypicalRange
Physician feeThe doctor who performs it$363$309 to $447
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$562$417 to $2,399

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $562 · 10th to 90th $288 to $8,511Professionalmedian $363 · 10th to 90th $257 to $562
$100$1K$10Kfacility $562professional $363

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
$309.03
Median
$416.87
Typical High
$794.33
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$309.03
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$446.68
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$169.82
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$758.58
Median
$5,011.87
Typical High
$11,220.18
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$346.74
Typical High
$436.52
CareSource
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$239.88
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$457.09
CareSource
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$309.03
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$467.74
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$34.67
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$794.33
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$288.40
Median
$562.34
Typical High
$1,348.96
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$33.11
Typical High
$33.11
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$354.81
Median
$912.01
Typical High
$8,317.64
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$478.63
Typical High
$616.60
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
$154.88
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$223.87
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$61.66
Median
$67.61
Typical High
$91.20
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$234.42
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$338.84
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$46.77
Median
$51.29
Typical High
$67.61
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$30.90
Median
$33.88
Typical High
$44.67

Where Kentucky 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

Kentucky· 48th of 51

$925

$363 physician + $562 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.