Price Checker / CPT 31725
How much does Clearance Of Airways cost?
CPT 31725 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is around 80x the fair price — among the most extreme markups. Dispute this.
Fair price
$110–$210
What this should cost
With insurance
~$2,500
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$260
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $12,764 is $12,604 over the fair price (about 80x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Clearance Of Airways
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCSF Health Saint Francis Hospital SAN FRANCISCO, CA | — | — | 30350% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE KINGWOOD Kingwood, TX | — | — | 27268% |
| HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress Cypress, TX | — | — | 27268% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE CLEAR LAKE Webster, TX | — | — | 22895% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE CONROE Conroe, TX | — | — | 22895% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE MEDICAL CENTER Houston, TX | — | — | 22895% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE PEARLAND Pearland, TX | — | — | 22895% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE TOMBALL Tomball, TX | — | — | 22895% |
| HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE WEST Houston, TX | — | — | 22895% |
| Benson Hospital BENSON, AZ | — | — | 22406% |
| "Children's Hospital of Michigan" DETROIT, MI | — | — | 20763% |
| CHRISTUS Louisiana Surgical Hospital , LA | — | — | 19785% |
| METHODIST HOSPITAL HILL COUNTRY San Marcos, TX | — | — | 16952% |
| METHODIST HOSPITAL San Antonio, TX | — | — | 16952% |
| METROPOLITAN METHODIST San Antonio, TX | — | — | 16952% |
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 Clearance Of Airways
CPT code 31725 refers to clearance of airways (billing description: "Clearance of airways"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $70 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $70 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.