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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Missouri 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?

$178

Typical negotiated rate. In Missouri, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $178 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $155 from a physician practice, and about $1,660 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$126 to $200
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$1,660$661 to $3,162

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,660 · 10th to 90th $380 to $5,370Professionalmedian $155 · 10th to 90th $112 to $331
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,660professional $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
$1,148.15
Median
$3,162.28
Typical High
$7,762.47
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$114.82
Typical High
$1,174.90
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,318.26
Median
$3,467.37
Typical High
$7,079.46
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$208.93
BCBS Kansas City
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$120.23
Typical High
$173.78
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$1,659.59
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$263.03
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$54.95
Median
$758.58
Typical High
$2,089.30
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$134.90
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$794.33
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$398.11
Median
$1,148.15
Typical High
$2,238.72
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$309.03
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
$47.86
Median
$57.54
Typical High
$58.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$19.05
Median
$22.91
Typical High
$23.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$70.79
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$87.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$14.13
Median
$16.98
Typical High
$17.38
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$9.55
Median
$11.48
Typical High
$11.75

Where Missouri 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.

Missouri· 29th of 51

$178

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.