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First Fluid Tap Through An Infant's Soft Spot

West 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 October 2026.

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

$162

Typical negotiated rate. In West Virginia, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $162 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $151 from a physician practice, and about $468 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$151$107 to $257
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$468$234 to $1,047

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $468 · 10th to 90th $151 to $1,413Professionalmedian $151 · 10th to 90th $93 to $347
$50$100$200$500$1Kfacility $468professional $151

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
$1,230.27
Median
$1,230.27
Typical High
$1,412.54
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$107.15
Typical High
$107.15
CareSource
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$134.90
Median
$134.90
Typical High
$134.90
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$34.67
Median
$194.98
Typical High
$1,047.13
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$123.03
Median
$186.21
Typical High
$794.33
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$151.36
Median
$436.52
Typical High
$1,949.84
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$89.13
Median
$123.03
Typical High
$257.04

Where West Virginia 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.

West Virginia· 33rd of 51

$162

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.