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Starting Vein-To-Vein ECMO Life Support

North Carolina 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?

$1,322

Typical total for the visit. In North Carolina, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,322 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $490 to the doctor who performs it, and $832 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$490$427 to $724
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$832$490 to $3,311

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $832 · 10th to 90th $302 to $7,244Professionalmedian $490 · 10th to 90th $324 to $912
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10K$20Kfacility $832professional $490

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
$302.00
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$7,943.28
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$302.00
Typical High
$537.03
BCBS North Carolina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$436.52
Median
$562.34
Typical High
$954.99
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$478.63
Median
$851.14
Typical High
$29,512.09
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$912.01
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$309.03
Typical High
$478.63
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$288.40
Median
$426.58
Typical High
$489.78
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$338.84
Median
$851.14
Typical High
$5,011.87
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$309.03
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$812.83
6 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
$151.36
Median
$151.36
Typical High
$194.98
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$60.26
Median
$60.26
Typical High
$77.62
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$223.87
Median
$223.87
Typical High
$288.40
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$45.71
Median
$45.71
Typical High
$57.54
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$30.20
Median
$30.20
Typical High
$38.90
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
51 · Multiple procedures
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$213.80
Typical High
$436.52

Where North Carolina 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

North Carolina· 33rd of 51

$1,322

$490 physician + $832 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.