go back

Surgical Placement Of A Life Support Cannula

Virginia rates for HCPCS 33954

Placing a large tube into a blood vessel in the neck or groin to connect a patient to an external heart-lung support machine, done by cutting down through the skin and opening the vessel under direct vision rather than by needle puncture. The tube carries blood out to the machine, which adds oxygen, and returns it to the body. It is used when the heart or lungs cannot sustain the patient on their own.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Surgical Placement Of A Life Support Cannula cost?

$2,688

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,688 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $550 to the doctor who performs it, and $2,138 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$550$490 to $646
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$2,138$692 to $4,074

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,138 · 10th to 90th $490 to $6,607Professionalmedian $550 · 10th to 90th $437 to $891
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $2,138professional $550

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
$575.44
Median
$5,495.41
Typical High
$14,125.38
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$575.44
Typical High
$1,122.02
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
$436.52
Median
$524.81
Typical High
$660.69
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
80 · Assistant surgeon
Typical Low
$69.18
Median
$83.18
Typical High
$104.71
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
AS · PA/NP assist
Typical Low
$60.26
Median
$72.44
Typical High
$91.20
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$457.09
Median
$512.86
Typical High
$630.96
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$501.19
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$5,495.41
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$436.52
Median
$602.56
Typical High
$831.76
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$489.78
Typical High
$602.56
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$891.25
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$660.69
Median
$660.69
Typical High
$660.69
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$478.63
Median
$1,174.90
Typical High
$5,128.61
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$489.78
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$2,454.71
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
$426.58
Median
$707.95
Typical High
$1,071.52
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
$269.15
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$288.40
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$107.15
Typical High
$117.49
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$407.38
Typical High
$436.52
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$81.28
Median
$81.28
Typical High
$87.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$53.70
Median
$53.70
Typical High
$57.54

Where Virginia sits

The same service costs 5.7 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· 12th of 51

$2,688

$550 physician + $2,138 facility

AK $6,128MD $1,075

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.