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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Delaware 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?

$155

Typical negotiated rate. In Delaware, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $155 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $115 from a physician practice, and about $468 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 3 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$115$105 to $148
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$468$372 to $661

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $468 · 10th to 90th $229 to $1,698Professionalmedian $115 · 10th to 90th $100 to $200
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $468professional $115

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Small sample; interpret with caution. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$3,235.94
Typical High
$7,244.36
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$107.15
Typical High
$107.15
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$416.87
Median
$524.81
Typical High
$776.25
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$120.23
Typical High
$208.93
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$229.09
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$1,698.24
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$190.55

Where Delaware 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.

Delaware· 36th of 51

$155

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.