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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Rhode Island 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?

$148

Typical negotiated rate. In Rhode Island, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $148 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $141 from a physician practice, and about $832 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 4 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$141$120 to $186
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$832$550 to $1,995

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $832 · 10th to 90th $389 to $3,981Professionalmedian $141 · 10th to 90th $105 to $200
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5Kfacility $832professional $141

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
$1,513.56
Median
$1,548.82
Typical High
$3,981.07
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$128.82
Median
$128.82
Typical High
$128.82
BCBS Rhode Island
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$141.25
Typical High
$199.53
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$446.68
Median
$616.60
Typical High
$794.33
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$190.55
Typical High
$239.88
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$371.54
Median
$1,096.48
Typical High
$4,265.80
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$199.53
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
$64.57
Median
$64.57
Typical High
$64.57
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$25.70
Median
$25.70
Typical High
$25.70
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$97.72
Median
$97.72
Typical High
$97.72
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$19.50
Median
$19.50
Typical High
$19.50
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$12.88
Median
$12.88
Typical High
$12.88

Where Rhode Island 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.

Rhode Island· 42nd of 51

$148

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.