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Opening The Skull To Reach A Structure Inside

California rates for HCPCS 61440

An operation in which a section of the skull is opened so the surgeon can reach and work on a structure deep inside the head, with the piece of bone put back at the end. It is done under general anesthesia and is followed by a stay in hospital for monitoring.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Opening The Skull To Reach A Structure Inside cost?

$13,490

Typical negotiated rate. In California, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $13,490 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $8,710 from a physician practice, and about $13,490 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 5 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$8,710$8,710 to $8,710
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$13,490$9,333 to $16,982

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $13,490 · 10th to 90th $7,943 to $22,387Professionalmedian $8,710 · 10th to 90th $6,026 to $8,710
$200$500$1K$2K$5K$10K$20Kfacility $13,490professional $8,710

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
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$7,943.28
Median
$13,489.63
Typical High
$22,387.21
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,884.03
Median
$6,918.31
Typical High
$8,709.64
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$398.11
Typical High
$1,698.24
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$54.95
Median
$56.23
Typical High
$6,918.31
Lucent Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8,709.64
Median
$8,709.64
Typical High
$8,709.64
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$1,905.46
Median
$2,570.40
Typical High
$3,981.07

Where California sits

The same service costs 302.0 times more in New York than in Illinois. 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· 2nd of 33

$13,490

NY $60,256IL $200

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.