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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Georgia 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?

$186

Typical negotiated rate. In Georgia, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $186 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $162 from a physician practice, and about $575 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 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$162$123 to $200
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$575$427 to $1,413

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $575 · 10th to 90th $363 to $3,548Professionalmedian $162 · 10th to 90th $98 to $295
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $575professional $162

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
$125.89
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$7,943.28
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$117.49
Typical High
$204.17
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$776.25
Typical High
$3,630.78
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$275.42
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$363.08
Median
$467.74
Typical High
$660.69
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$363.08
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$117.49
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$257.04
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$331.13
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$2,454.71
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$354.81
6 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
$57.54
Median
$57.54
Typical High
$67.61
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$22.91
Median
$22.91
Typical High
$26.92
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$87.10
Median
$87.10
Typical High
$100.00
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$17.38
Median
$17.38
Typical High
$19.95
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$11.48
Median
$11.48
Typical High
$13.49
Ambetter
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$616.60
Median
$616.60
Typical High
$616.60

Where Georgia 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.

Georgia· 27th of 51

$186

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.