Price Checker / CPT 31600
How much does Planned Tracheostomy cost?
CPT 31600 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 17x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$410–$820
What this should cost
With insurance
~$2,850
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$1,050
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $10,359 is $9,739 over the fair price (about 17x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Planned Tracheostomy
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARION HEALTH Marion, IN | $185,241 | — | 57319% |
| Solara Specialty Hospital Mcallen Mc Allen, TX | $20,221 | — | 7301% |
| Troy Regional Medical Center TROY, AL | $13,500 | $3,300 | 4841% |
| PAM Specialty Hospital of Hammond Hammond, LA | $14,111 | — | 4548% |
| Kindred Hospital Las Vegas - Flamingo Las Vegas, NV | $12,628 | — | 4522% |
| Kindred Hospital Las Vegas - Sahara Las Vegas, NV | $12,628 | — | 4522% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Tucson Tucson, AZ | $11,209 | — | 4003% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Broken Arrow Broken Arrow, OK | $10,201 | — | 3634% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Little Rock Little Rock, AR | $9,642 | — | 3429% |
| Kindred Hospital Houston Northwest Houston, TX | $9,531 | — | 3388% |
| Kindred Hospital Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM | $9,514 | — | 3382% |
| Kindred Hospital East New Jersey Passaic, NJ | $9,514 | — | 3382% |
| Kindred Hospital New Jersey - Rahway Rahway, NJ | $9,514 | — | 3382% |
| Kindred Hospital Baldwin Park Baldwin Park, CA | $8,203 | — | 2902% |
| Kindred Hospital Brea Brea, CA | $8,203 | — | 2902% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
Send us your bill and we'll compare every line item against Medicare rates and your hospital's published prices. Free review, no obligation.
About Planned Tracheostomy
CPT code 31600 refers to planned tracheostomy (billing description: "Planned tracheostomy"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $273 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $273 in a doctor's office.
The Medicare rate is the closest thing to an objective "what this work is actually worth." A fair cash price for the uninsured is generally 1.5–3x that rate. Hospital sticker (gross) charges are often far higher — but almost nobody actually pays them.
What to do if you were overcharged
- 1Send us your bill — we'll identify this code and compare it against the rates shown above.
- 2Get a dispute letter — citing the Medicare rate and your hospital's own published pricing data.
- 3We negotiate for you — 25% of savings, no savings = no fee.