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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

New Mexico 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?

$170

Typical negotiated rate. In New Mexico, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $170 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $155 from a physician practice, and about $631 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$155$120 to $174
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$631$447 to $1,047

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $631 · 10th to 90th $158 to $2,138Professionalmedian $155 · 10th to 90th $85 to $209
$50$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $631professional $155

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Small sample; interpret with caution. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$7,762.47
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$154.88
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$537.03
Typical High
$1,202.26
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$204.17
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$33.11
Median
$33.88
Typical High
$169.82
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$524.81
Typical High
$1,288.25
Providence
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$120.23
Median
$158.49
Typical High
$204.17
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$346.74
Median
$707.95
Typical High
$2,630.27
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$158.49
Typical High
$263.03

Where New Mexico 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 Mexico· 32nd of 51

$170

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.