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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Illinois 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?

$200

Typical negotiated rate. In Illinois, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $200 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $155 from a physician practice, and about $871 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$155$123 to $214
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$871$617 to $1,479

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $871 · 10th to 90th $479 to $2,818Professionalmedian $155 · 10th to 90th $107 to $263
$50$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $871professional $155

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
$346.74
Median
$1,445.44
Typical High
$5,623.41
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$154.88
BCBS Illinois
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$588.84
Median
$870.96
Typical High
$1,584.89
BCBS Illinois
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$181.97
Median
$199.53
Typical High
$346.74
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$467.74
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$912.01
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$245.47
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$457.09
Hally Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$100.00
Typical High
$100.00
Hally Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$151.36
Typical High
$173.78
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$33.11
Typical High
$33.11
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$2,951.21
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$263.03
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
$51.29
Median
$61.66
Typical High
$61.66
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$20.42
Median
$25.12
Typical High
$25.12
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$75.86
Median
$93.33
Typical High
$93.33
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$15.14
Median
$18.62
Typical High
$18.62
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$10.23
Median
$12.30
Typical High
$12.30

Where Illinois 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.

Illinois· 22nd of 51

$200

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.