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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Arizona rates for HCPCS 61000

A needle is passed through the soft spot or a suture line on a baby's skull to draw off fluid or blood that has collected between the brain and its covering. This is the first such tap, relieving pressure on the developing brain and providing a sample for testing. It is done at the bedside and takes only a few minutes.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot cost?

$331

Typical negotiated rate. In Arizona, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $331 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $115 from a physician practice, and about $794 from a hospital or other facility.

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 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$115$102 to $170
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$794$437 to $1,778

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $794 · 10th to 90th $372 to $3,388Professionalmedian $115 · 10th to 90th $100 to $794
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $794professional $115

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
$977.24
Median
$3,715.35
Typical High
$5,623.41
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$100.00
Typical High
$112.20
BCBS Arizona
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$416.87
Median
$977.24
Typical High
$2,570.40
BCBS Arizona
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$251.19
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$467.74
Typical High
$1,659.59
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$112.20
Typical High
$199.53
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$707.95
Typical High
$2,570.40
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$151.36
Typical High
$794.33
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$912.01
Typical High
$3,311.31
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$112.20
Typical High
$208.93
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
$50.12
Median
$50.12
Typical High
$51.29
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$19.95
Median
$19.95
Typical High
$20.42
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$74.13
Median
$74.13
Typical High
$75.86
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$14.79
Median
$14.79
Typical High
$15.14
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$10.00
Median
$10.00
Typical High
$10.23

Where Arizona sits

The same service costs 4.4 times more in Alaska than in New York. 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.

Arizona· 7th of 51

$331

AK $513NY $117

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.