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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Washington, DC 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 July 2026.

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

$123

Typical physician fee. In Washington, DC, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $123 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $117 to $2,138.

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.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $2,754 · 10th to 90th $117 to $7,762Professionalmedian $117 · 10th to 90th $115 to $234
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $2,754professional $117

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
$117.49
Median
$2,754.23
Typical High
$7,762.47
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$117.49
Typical High
$123.03
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$630.96
Typical High
$2,691.53
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$295.12
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$117.49
Median
$239.88
Typical High
$263.03
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$741.31
Median
$2,089.30
Typical High
$5,128.61
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$309.03

Where Washington, DC sits

The same service costs 29.5 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.

Washington, DC· 45th of 51

$123

CA $3,162DE $107

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.