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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

North Carolina 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?

$229

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $229 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $209 from a physician practice, and about $550 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 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$209$138 to $275
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$550$407 to $794

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $550 · 10th to 90th $309 to $2,239Professionalmedian $209 · 10th to 90th $112 to $288
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $550professional $209

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
$109.65
Median
$1,000.00
Typical High
$7,943.28
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$109.65
Typical High
$131.83
BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$407.38
Median
$630.96
Typical High
$1,621.81
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$144.54
Median
$234.42
Typical High
$302.00
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$380.19
Median
$645.65
Typical High
$1,000.00
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$114.82
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$295.12
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$186.21
Median
$537.03
Typical High
$575.44
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$138.04
Typical High
$190.55
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$295.12
Median
$524.81
Typical High
$2,818.38
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$269.15
7 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
$54.95
Median
$54.95
Typical High
$63.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$21.88
Median
$21.88
Typical High
$25.12
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$81.28
Median
$81.28
Typical High
$93.33
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$16.22
Median
$16.22
Typical High
$19.05
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$10.96
Median
$10.96
Typical High
$12.59
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
51 · Multiple procedures
Typical Low
$173.78
Median
$269.15
Typical High
$416.87
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
51 · Multiple procedures
Typical Low
$63.10
Median
$69.18
Typical High
$154.88

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 4.4 times more in Alaska than in Kentucky. 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.

North Carolina· 15th of 51

$229

AK $513KY $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.