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Open Chest Placement Of Life-Support Cannulas

Minnesota rates for HCPCS 33956

Places the large tubes that connect a patient to an external heart-lung support machine, inserting them directly into the heart or the great vessels through an opened chest. The machine then pumps the blood and adds oxygen to it while the heart or lungs recover. This version is used in older children and adults rather than in infants and very young children.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Open Chest Placement Of Life-Support Cannulas cost?

$3,287

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $3,287 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $1,738 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,549 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$1,738$1,380 to $2,399
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,549$1,023 to $2,291

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,549 · 10th to 90th $851 to $3,715Professionalmedian $1,738 · 10th to 90th $1,023 to $3,162
$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,549professional $1,738

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
$851.14
Median
$851.14
Typical High
$851.14
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$851.14
Median
$851.14
Typical High
$1,047.13
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,659.59
Median
$3,467.37
Typical High
$8,511.38
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,288.25
Median
$1,737.80
Typical High
$2,818.38
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Professional
Modifier
62 · Two surgeons
Typical Low
$794.33
Median
$1,071.52
Typical High
$1,737.80
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,230.27
Median
$1,905.46
Typical High
$3,630.78
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,445.44
Median
$2,137.96
Typical High
$3,311.31
Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,096.48
Median
$1,778.28
Typical High
$3,090.30
Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,230.27
Median
$1,862.09
Typical High
$3,019.95
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$758.58
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$3,019.95
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,023.29
Median
$1,621.81
Typical High
$3,311.31
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$758.58
Median
$1,513.56
Typical High
$3,630.78
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$1,621.81
Typical High
$3,467.37
10 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
Facility
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$426.58
Typical High
$426.58
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$169.82
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$645.65
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$128.82
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$85.11
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$85.11
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
52 · Reduced service
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$426.58
Typical High
$512.86
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$169.82
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$204.17
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$645.65
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$776.25
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$154.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$85.11
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$102.33

Where Minnesota sits

The same service costs 5.4 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

Minnesota· 14th of 51

$3,287

$1,738 physician + $1,549 facility

AK $7,989MD $1,474

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.