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Needle Sample Of A Lymph Node Near The Skin Surface

Montana 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?

$401

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

Insurers have agreed to pay about $401 for this procedure. That total is two separate charges: $138 to the doctor who performs it, and $263 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$138$77.62 to $331
Facility feeThe hospital or surgery center$263$145 to $1,000

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $263 · 10th to 90th $123 to $2,291Professionalmedian $138 · 10th to 90th $65 to $617
$10$100$1K$10K$100Kfacility $263professional $138

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
$831.76
Median
$1,659.59
Typical High
$2,951.21
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$64.57
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$616.60
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$64,565.42
Median
$75,857.76
Typical High
$91,201.08
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$275.42
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$131.83
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$85.11
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$275.42
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$309.03
MountainHealth Co-op
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$309.03
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$75.86
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$263.03
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$79.43
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$331.13
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$218.78
Median
$218.78
Typical High
$3,388.44
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$288.40

Where Montana 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

Montana· 49th of 51

$401

$138 physician + $263 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.