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Starting Vein-To-Vein ECMO Life Support

Virginia 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?

$2,444

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,444 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $355 to the doctor who performs it, and $2,089 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$355$324 to $427
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,089$550 to $4,074

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,089 · 10th to 90th $355 to $6,607Professionalmedian $355 · 10th to 90th $282 to $589
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $2,089professional $355

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
$5,495.41
Typical High
$14,125.38
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$354.81
Median
$380.19
Typical High
$724.44
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,884.03
Median
$3,715.35
Typical High
$4,265.80
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$281.84
Median
$338.84
Typical High
$426.58
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$331.13
Typical High
$416.87
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$501.19
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$5,495.41
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$281.84
Median
$389.05
Typical High
$549.54
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$269.15
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$398.11
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$354.81
Median
$416.87
Typical High
$575.44
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$426.58
Typical High
$426.58
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$316.23
Median
$831.76
Typical High
$5,128.61
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$316.23
Median
$416.87
Typical High
$2,187.76
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$436.52
Median
$2,344.23
Typical High
$6,309.57
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$457.09
Typical High
$691.83
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
$173.78
Median
$173.78
Typical High
$190.55
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$70.79
Typical High
$75.86
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$263.03
Median
$263.03
Typical High
$281.84
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$52.48
Median
$52.48
Typical High
$56.23
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$35.48
Median
$35.48
Typical High
$38.02

Where Virginia 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

Virginia· 11th of 51

$2,444

$355 physician + $2,089 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.