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Needle Sample Of A Lymph Node Near The Skin Surface

Louisiana rates for HCPCS 38505

A needle is used to take a tissue sample from a lymph node located close to the skin surface, such as one in the neck, groin, or armpit, to check for infection, inflammation, or cancer. It is a less invasive alternative to open surgical removal of the node.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Needle Sample Of A Lymph Node Near The Skin Surface cost?

$1,408

Typical total for the visit. In Louisiana, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,408 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $120 to the doctor who performs it, and $1,288 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$120$89.13 to $162
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$1,288$603 to $2,692

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,288 · 10th to 90th $126 to $3,715Professionalmedian $120 · 10th to 90th $71 to $234
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $1,288professional $120

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$120.23
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$3,715.35
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$109.65
Typical High
$177.83
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$72.44
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$93.33
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$1,445.44
Typical High
$3,311.31
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$295.12
Christus
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$39.81
Median
$1,071.52
Typical High
$1,071.52
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$89.13
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$251.19
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$489.78
Median
$1,698.24
Typical High
$4,265.80
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$69.18
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$234.42

Where Louisiana sits

The same service costs 15.0 times more in California than in Delaware. 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

Louisiana· 41st of 51

$1,408

$120 physician + $1,288 facility

CA $4,615DE $307

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.