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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

Washington 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?

$224

Typical negotiated rate. In Washington, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $224 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $209 from a physician practice, and about $562 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 10 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$209$145 to $295
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$562$398 to $1,148

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $562 · 10th to 90th $269 to $2,754Professionalmedian $209 · 10th to 90th $50 to $389
$50$200$1K$5Kfacility $562professional $209

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
$138.04
Median
$6,165.95
Typical High
$20,892.96
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$138.04
Typical High
$144.54
Asuris Northwest Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$83.18
Median
$1,862.09
Typical High
$3,801.89
Asuris Northwest Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$1,000.00
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$467.74
Median
$588.84
Typical High
$1,023.29
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$338.84
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$165.96
Median
$288.40
Typical High
$812.83
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$38.02
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$371.54
Pacific Source
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$131.83
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$229.09
Premera BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$275.42
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$645.65
Premera BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$158.49
Median
$158.49
Typical High
$158.49
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,548.82
Median
$2,041.74
Typical High
$3,801.89
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$229.09
Typical High
$316.23
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$371.54
Median
$691.83
Typical High
$2,754.23
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$138.04
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$354.81
Wellpoint
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$147.91
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$223.87
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
$69.18
Median
$69.18
Typical High
$72.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
53 · Discontinued
Typical Low
$27.54
Median
$27.54
Typical High
$28.84
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$104.71
Typical High
$109.65
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$20.89
Median
$20.89
Typical High
$21.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$13.80
Median
$13.80
Typical High
$14.45

Where Washington sits

The same service costs 4.4 times more in Alaska than in Kentucky. 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.

Washington· 19th of 51

$224

AK $513KY $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.