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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Kentucky 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?

$117

Typical negotiated rate. In Kentucky, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $117 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $112 from a physician practice, and about $447 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$112$100 to $151
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$447$151 to $832

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $447 · 10th to 90th $95 to $2,630Professionalmedian $112 · 10th to 90th $91 to $182
$50$200$1K$5Kfacility $447professional $112

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
$95.50
Median
$109.65
Typical High
$3,801.89
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$102.33
Typical High
$144.54
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$575.44
Median
$3,801.89
Typical High
$11,220.18
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$109.65
Typical High
$169.82
CareSource
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$630.96
CareSource
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$173.78
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$34.67
Median
$363.08
Typical High
$467.74
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$162.18
Typical High
$794.33
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$33.11
Typical High
$33.11
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$323.59
Median
$588.84
Typical High
$1,621.81
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$138.04
Typical High
$199.53
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
$47.86
Median
$51.29
Typical High
$63.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$19.05
Median
$20.42
Typical High
$25.12
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$77.62
Typical High
$93.33
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$14.13
Median
$15.49
Typical High
$18.62
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$9.55
Median
$10.23
Typical High
$12.59

Where Kentucky 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.

Kentucky· 50th of 51

$117

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.