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Placing a Fluid Reservoir or Pump Under the Scalp

California rates for HCPCS 61215

Puts a small reservoir or pump just beneath the skin and connects it to a catheter sitting in the fluid-filled chamber of the brain. Once in place it can be used to draw off spinal fluid or to deliver medicine straight into that space through the skin, without a fresh brain procedure each time. It is often used for chemotherapy or antibiotics that have to reach the brain fluid directly.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Placing a Fluid Reservoir or Pump Under the Scalp cost?

$7,413

Typical facility fee. In California, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $7,413 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $5,012 to $10,965.

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.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $7,413 · 10th to 90th $3,090 to $16,982Professionalmedian $692 · 10th to 90th $380 to $1,349
$100$500$2K$10Kfacility $7,413professional $692

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
$2,951.21
Median
$7,079.46
Typical High
$19,054.61
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$4,570.88
Median
$7,943.28
Typical High
$15,848.93
Blue Shield
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$74.13
Median
$5,128.61
Typical High
$11,220.18
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$562.34
Median
$3,890.45
Typical High
$4,570.88
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$208.93
Median
$316.23
Typical High
$870.96
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$537.03
Median
$707.95
Typical High
$1,412.54
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$23,442.29
Median
$45,708.82
Typical High
$45,708.82
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$489.78
Median
$707.95
Typical High
$1,071.52
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$6,760.83
Median
$12,022.64
Typical High
$26,302.68

Where California sits

The same service costs 37.2 times more in Wyoming than in West Virginia. 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.

California· 12th of 50

$7,413

WY $17,783WV $479

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.