Price Checker / CPT 33947
How much does Ecmo/ecls Initiation Artery cost?
CPT 33947 · 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
$460–$920
What this should cost
With insurance
~$3,850
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$1,150
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $55,408 is $54,718 over the fair price (about 80x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for Ecmo/ecls Initiation Artery
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital West Chester, PA | $149,228 | — | 48305% |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital ALEXANDRIA, VA | $123,366 | $61,683 | 39916% |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital FAIRFAX, VA | $123,366 | $61,683 | 39916% |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital FALLS CHURCH, VA | $123,366 | $61,683 | 39916% |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital LEESBURG, VA | $123,366 | $61,683 | 39916% |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital ALEXANDRIA, VA | $123,366 | $61,683 | 39916% |
| Baptist Health Princeton Hospital , AL | $74,982 | $56,237 | 24222% |
| Oregon Health and Science University , OR | $54,543 | $35,453 | 17592% |
| "Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center with Brenner Children's" , NC | $44,478 | $22,239 | 14327% |
| WEST HOSPITAL Cincinnati, OH | $44,013 | — | 14176% |
| Community Behavioral Health Center , CA | $43,171 | $34,537 | 13904% |
| Community Regional Medical Center FRESNO, CA | $43,171 | $34,537 | 13904% |
| Fresno Heart and Surgical Hospital , CA | $43,171 | $34,537 | 13904% |
| Atrium Health Anson WADESBORO, NC | $42,159 | $21,080 | 13575% |
| "Atrium Health Ballantyne Emergency Department , a facility of Atrium Health Pineville" | $42,159 | $21,080 | 13575% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
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About Ecmo/ecls Initiation Artery
CPT code 33947 refers to ecmo/ecls initiation artery (billing description: "Ecmo/ecls initiation artery"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $308 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $308 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.