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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Virginia 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?

$148

Typical negotiated rate. In Virginia, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $148 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $126 from a physician practice, and about $1,950 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 8 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$126$117 to $174
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$1,950$158 to $4,677

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $1,950 · 10th to 90th $117 to $7,079Professionalmedian $126 · 10th to 90th $110 to $1,778
$100$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $1,950professional $126

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
$123.03
Median
$3,630.78
Typical High
$8,317.64
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$3,235.94
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,137.96
Median
$2,570.40
Typical High
$2,951.21
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$208.93
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$125.89
Median
$177.83
Typical High
$933.25
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$100.00
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$309.03
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$338.84
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$134.90
Median
$169.82
Typical High
$263.03
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$223.87
Sentara
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$3,311.31
Sentara
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$95.50
Median
$147.91
Typical High
$3,311.31
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,047.13
Median
$2,089.30
Typical High
$3,890.45
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$91.20
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$223.87

Where Virginia 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.

Virginia· 41st of 51

$148

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.