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Pituitary Gland Or Tumor Removal Through Skull

Washington rates for HCPCS 61546

Removes the pituitary gland, or a tumor growing from it, by opening the skull and working down to the base of the brain where the gland sits. This route is chosen when the growth extends beyond the reach of an approach through the nose, for instance when it presses on the optic nerves or spreads sideways. It is major neurosurgery under general anesthesia, with intensive care monitoring and a hospital stay afterward.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Pituitary Gland Or Tumor Removal Through Skull cost?

$4,365

Typical negotiated rate. In Washington, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $4,365 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $4,266 from a physician practice, and about $5,012 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 10 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$4,266$2,818 to $5,248
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$5,012$3,631 to $5,754

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $5,012 · 10th to 90th $2,818 to $11,482Professionalmedian $4,266 · 10th to 90th $2,042 to $6,310
$50$200$1K$5K$20Kfacility $5,012professional $4,266

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
$2,818.38
Median
$5,754.40
Typical High
$18,620.87
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,041.74
Median
$3,467.37
Typical High
$6,309.57
Asuris Northwest Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,162.28
Median
$4,570.88
Typical High
$6,025.60
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,754.23
Median
$4,365.16
Typical High
$6,760.83
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,818.38
Median
$4,677.35
Typical High
$5,888.44
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,884.03
Median
$4,677.35
Typical High
$5,888.44
Molina
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$32.36
Median
$33.11
Typical High
$138.04
Pacific Source
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,344.23
Median
$4,365.16
Typical High
$4,677.35
Premera BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,090.30
Median
$3,090.30
Typical High
$3,235.94
Premera BCBS
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,235.94
Median
$5,011.87
Typical High
$6,918.31
Regence BlueShield
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$3,162.28
Median
$4,677.35
Typical High
$6,025.60
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$707.95
Median
$2,511.89
Typical High
$5,754.40
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,398.83
Median
$3,801.89
Typical High
$6,606.93
Wellpoint
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$2,344.23
Median
$2,951.21
Typical High
$4,466.84

Where Washington sits

The same service costs 4.9 times more in California than in Oklahoma. 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· 9th of 51

$4,365

CA $10,233OK $2,089

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.