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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

New York 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 July 2026.

How much does First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot cost?

$398

Typical negotiated rate. In New York, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $398 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $145 from a physician practice, and about $3,467 from a hospital or other facility. The two figures are alternatives, not parts of one bill.

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 9 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Where it's billed changes the price

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$145$112 to $229
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$3,467$1,905 to $4,898

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,467 · 10th to 90th $204 to $7,762Professionalmedian $145 · 10th to 90th $98 to $468
$100$500$2K$10K$50Kfacility $3,467professional $145

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$3,090.30
Typical High
$9,120.11
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$676.08
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,819.70
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$5,011.87
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$93.33
Median
$120.23
Typical High
$309.03
CDPHP
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$4,073.80
CDPHP
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$154.88
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$34.67
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$3,801.89
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$691.83
Emblem Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$141.25
Typical High
$407.38
Emblem Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$173.78
Typical High
$239.88
Excellus BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$275.42
MVP Health Care
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$112.20
Median
$53,703.18
Typical High
$87,096.36
MVP Health Care
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$190.55
Typical High
$398.11
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,621.81
Median
$2,951.21
Typical High
$5,623.41
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$177.83
Typical High
$537.03
Univera
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$478.63
Univera
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$354.81

Where New York sits

The same service costs 29.5 times more in California than in Delaware. 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 York· 7th of 51

$398

CA $3,162DE $107

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.