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Exploratory Opening Of The Skull

North Carolina rates for HCPCS 61305

An operation in which the skull is opened so the surgeon can examine the brain and its coverings directly. It is done when imaging cannot explain a problem, or urgently after a head injury when bleeding or swelling must be found and dealt with. What is done next depends on what is found once the brain is exposed.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Exploratory Opening Of The Skull cost?

$2,754

Typical negotiated rate. In North Carolina, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,754 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $2,692 from a physician practice, and about $3,162 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 6 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$2,692$2,042 to $4,677
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$3,162$1,950 to $6,761

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,162 · 10th to 90th $1,660 to $7,586Professionalmedian $2,692 · 10th to 90th $1,950 to $5,754
$1K$2K$5K$10Kfacility $3,162professional $2,692

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
$1,659.59
Median
$6,456.54
Typical High
$8,709.64
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,949.84
Median
$2,290.87
Typical High
$5,754.40
BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,290.87
Median
$3,981.07
Typical High
$5,248.07
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,041.74
Median
$2,884.03
Typical High
$5,128.61
Medcost
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,949.84
Median
$2,570.40
Typical High
$3,981.07
Medcost
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,630.27
Median
$2,630.27
Typical High
$5,495.41
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,288.25
Median
$3,981.07
Typical High
$7,079.46
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,778.28
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$4,466.84
Wellcare
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$56.23
Median
$12,302.69
Typical High
$12,302.69
Wellcare
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$14,125.38
Median
$14,125.38
Typical High
$18,197.01

Where North Carolina sits

The same service costs 4.9 times more in California 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.

North Carolina· 29th of 51

$2,754

CA $9,333KY $1,905

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.