go back

First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

New Jersey 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 New Jersey, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $178 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $126 from a physician practice, and about $1,479 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$126$112 to $182
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$1,479$813 to $3,020

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,479 · 10th to 90th $513 to $5,495Professionalmedian $126 · 10th to 90th $102 to $372
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,479professional $126

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
$2,754.23
Median
$5,495.41
Typical High
$11,748.98
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$112.20
Typical High
$144.54
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$426.58
Median
$776.25
Typical High
$1,659.59
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$181.97
Typical High
$524.81
Emblem Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$177.83
Typical High
$186.21
Horizon BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$616.60
Median
$1,122.02
Typical High
$2,630.27
Horizon BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$117.49
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$371.54
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$1,548.82
Typical High
$3,981.07
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$549.54
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
$44.67
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$63.10
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$18.20
Median
$22.91
Typical High
$25.12
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$67.61
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$95.50
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$13.49
Median
$16.98
Typical High
$19.05
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$9.12
Median
$11.22
Typical High
$12.59

Where New Jersey 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.

New Jersey· 30th 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.