Price AtlasInteractive atlas · All states · techysurgeon.comSentinel lymph node biopsy (underarm): what insurers pay
Removing the first lymph nodes a breast cancer drains to. Commercial negotiated rates by hospital and market, next to Medicare for the same code.
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CPT 38525: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (Underarm)
1163 hospitals in 80 markets. National Medicare rate $4,000, surgery center $1,603.
| Market | Hospitals | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Low–high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama (statewide) | 13 | $4,156 | $4,345 | $4,796 | $3,428–$9,225 |
| Alaska (statewide) | 4 | — | — | — | $3,200–$12,063 |
| Arizona (statewide) | 11 | $3,434 | $4,016 | $5,252 | $2,346–$11,826 |
| Arkansas (statewide) | 9 | $2,512 | $2,992 | $3,496 | $1,875–$5,293 |
| Atlanta GA | 6 | $4,361 | $4,361 | $5,175 | $4,361–$5,446 |
| Austin TX | 13 | $2,908 | $4,863 | $4,863 | $2,908–$5,742 |
| Boston MA | 11 | $4,494 | $5,982 | $6,279 | $3,220–$7,075 |
| California (statewide) | 65 | $5,239 | $8,184 | $11,383 | $3,639–$14,491 |
| Charlotte NC | 5 | $4,553 | $4,553 | $4,553 | $4,490–$4,553 |
| Chicago IL | 9 | $4,548 | $5,881 | $7,295 | $2,237–$7,912 |
| Cleveland OH | 11 | $3,780 | $4,633 | $5,674 | $3,041–$6,831 |
| Colorado (statewide) | 15 | $4,414 | $5,188 | $6,784 | $3,405–$7,895 |
| Columbus OH | 2 | — | — | — | $23,883–$23,883 |
| Connecticut (statewide) | 2 | — | — | — | $3,362–$16,313 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth TX | 14 | $5,050 | $5,562 | $5,750 | $4,880–$11,414 |
| Denver CO | 15 | $5,243 | $5,415 | $5,740 | $3,856–$6,843 |
| Detroit MI | 15 | $3,001 | $3,871 | $5,209 | $3,001–$5,926 |
| Florida (statewide) | 62 | $5,646 | $8,190 | $9,005 | $2,236–$16,072 |
| Georgia (statewide) | 31 | $4,104 | $5,378 | $5,446 | $2,535–$15,676 |
| Hawaii (statewide) | 5 | $4,406 | $4,720 | $5,144 | $4,020–$7,288 |
| Houston TX | 19 | $4,050 | $4,250 | $5,228 | $3,772–$7,473 |
| Idaho (statewide) | 14 | $4,563 | $9,215 | $9,838 | $3,225–$12,885 |
| Illinois (statewide) | 30 | $4,150 | $5,268 | $7,295 | $3,151–$11,376 |
| Indiana (statewide) | 33 | $6,214 | $9,120 | $16,283 | $3,122–$26,003 |
| Indianapolis IN | 2 | — | — | — | $27,621–$29,799 |
| Iowa (statewide) | 21 | $5,313 | $6,730 | $7,633 | $3,376–$11,882 |
| Kansas (statewide) | 18 | $3,873 | $4,754 | $5,520 | $3,608–$12,063 |
| Kentucky (statewide) | 14 | $3,609 | $4,603 | $4,962 | $2,070–$6,382 |
| Las Vegas NV | 1 | — | — | — | $3,010–$3,010 |
| Los Angeles CA | 17 | $5,609 | $5,930 | $6,999 | $5,080–$14,342 |
| Louisiana (statewide) | 24 | $3,639 | $4,202 | $5,787 | $2,967–$10,102 |
| Maine (statewide) | 17 | $15,691 | $17,617 | $18,216 | $4,146–$22,903 |
| Maryland (statewide) | 1 | — | — | — | $5,150–$5,150 |
| Massachusetts (statewide) | 6 | $3,512 | $4,202 | $4,756 | $3,220–$5,291 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale FL | 1 | — | — | — | $6,465–$6,465 |
| Michigan (statewide) | 28 | $2,805 | $3,788 | $3,937 | $2,185–$6,578 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul MN | 9 | $3,924 | $4,506 | $5,043 | $3,699–$8,242 |
| Minnesota (statewide) | 13 | $5,892 | $10,164 | $12,263 | $3,790–$16,845 |
| Mississippi (statewide) | 18 | $4,250 | $4,784 | $5,281 | $2,429–$10,678 |
| Missouri (statewide) | 22 | $3,950 | $4,712 | $5,309 | $2,239–$7,220 |
| Montana (statewide) | 4 | — | — | — | $4,764–$11,218 |
| Nashville TN | 7 | $2,824 | $2,895 | $5,000 | $2,753–$7,464 |
| Nebraska (statewide) | 10 | $3,376 | $4,370 | $6,294 | $3,376–$7,982 |
| Nevada (statewide) | 2 | — | — | — | $7,453–$9,146 |
| New Hampshire (statewide) | 6 | $6,142 | $8,226 | $12,060 | $5,384–$17,533 |
| New Jersey (statewide) | 15 | $6,964 | $7,567 | $7,784 | $4,510–$9,421 |
| New Mexico (statewide) | 8 | $3,999 | $6,093 | $10,706 | $1,991–$13,842 |
| New York (statewide) | 31 | $4,408 | $5,327 | $7,709 | $3,327–$12,362 |
| New York City | 7 | $4,408 | $4,408 | $8,705 | $4,408–$13,390 |
| North Carolina (statewide) | 7 | $4,649 | $5,893 | $9,371 | $2,816–$9,986 |
| North Dakota (statewide) | 5 | $6,625 | $6,731 | $7,003 | $5,176–$8,709 |
| Ohio (statewide) | 36 | $5,264 | $8,212 | $9,524 | $2,909–$15,050 |
| Oklahoma (statewide) | 11 | $6,784 | $6,886 | $7,968 | $4,768–$9,421 |
| Oregon (statewide) | 8 | $9,806 | $11,285 | $13,987 | $8,793–$17,385 |
| Pennsylvania (statewide) | 42 | $4,229 | $7,168 | $10,545 | $2,170–$26,459 |
| Philadelphia PA | 11 | $3,619 | $4,580 | $5,920 | $3,316–$8,155 |
| Phoenix AZ | 8 | $2,876 | $3,004 | $3,039 | $2,600–$3,039 |
| Pittsburgh PA | 11 | $3,582 | $6,526 | $7,894 | $2,392–$9,638 |
| Portland OR | 9 | $8,704 | $8,704 | $12,994 | $7,400–$12,994 |
| Rhode Island (statewide) | 4 | — | — | — | $3,561–$8,858 |
| Richmond VA | 3 | — | — | — | $5,491–$5,632 |
| Rio Grande Valley TX | 6 | $5,088 | $5,186 | $5,694 | $4,902–$5,830 |
| Salt Lake City UT | 9 | $3,576 | $3,698 | $3,698 | $3,470–$3,819 |
| San Antonio TX | 3 | — | — | — | $4,674–$4,773 |
| San Diego CA | 7 | $8,561 | $8,561 | $8,616 | $7,050–$9,286 |
| San Francisco Bay Area CA | 6 | $7,118 | $7,929 | $9,397 | $6,319–$19,507 |
| Seattle-Tacoma WA | 16 | $9,703 | $10,374 | $13,466 | $8,832–$15,078 |
| South Carolina (statewide) | 28 | $6,796 | $8,216 | $9,932 | $4,063–$11,592 |
| South Dakota (statewide) | 5 | $5,502 | $5,603 | $5,909 | $5,243–$18,496 |
| St. Louis MO | 4 | — | — | — | $2,975–$3,234 |
| Tampa FL | 6 | $6,342 | $6,342 | $6,342 | $5,195–$9,268 |
| Tennessee (statewide) | 27 | $2,780 | $3,198 | $4,506 | $2,435–$7,812 |
| Texas (statewide) | 81 | $4,060 | $5,023 | $5,480 | $2,035–$20,580 |
| Utah (statewide) | 6 | $3,470 | $3,523 | $3,576 | $3,404–$3,698 |
| Vermont (statewide) | 1 | — | — | — | $4,727–$4,727 |
| Virginia (statewide) | 20 | $8,642 | $11,340 | $12,627 | $5,334–$14,453 |
| Washington (statewide) | 14 | $7,451 | $10,364 | $11,915 | $3,908–$19,919 |
| Washington DC | 9 | $5,073 | $5,073 | $5,073 | $4,041–$5,569 |
| West Virginia (statewide) | 7 | $5,976 | $6,595 | $14,116 | $4,250–$26,067 |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | 37 | $6,400 | $8,570 | $8,570 | $1,930–$14,240 |
Lowest and highest 12 hospital medians
| Hospital | Market | Median across insurers | × Medicare | Insurers | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas | Arkansas (statewide) | $1,875 | 0.5× | 6 | 2026-06-08 |
| Thedacare Medical Center - Wild Rose Inc | Wisconsin (statewide) | $1,930 | 0.5× | 1 | 2026-08-08 |
| Cibola General Hospital | New Mexico (statewide) | $1,991 | 0.5× | 1 | 2026-09-27 |
| Ennis Regional Medical Center | Texas (statewide) | $2,035 | 0.5× | 1 | 2026-04-01 |
| Norton Hospital | Kentucky (statewide) | $2,070 | 0.6× | 2 | 2026-02-11 |
| King'S Daughters' Medical Center | Kentucky (statewide) | $2,154 | 0.6× | 2 | 2026-09-25 |
| Upmc Cole | Pennsylvania (statewide) | $2,170 | 0.6× | 1 | 2026-03-06 |
| Henry Ford Health Providence Southfield Hospital | Michigan (statewide) | $2,185 | 0.6× | 1 | 2026-01-01 |
| Oaklawn Hospital | Michigan (statewide) | $2,188 | 0.6× | 2 | 2026-03-27 |
| Corewell Health Zeeland Hospital | Michigan (statewide) | $2,205 | 0.6× | 2 | 2026-05-01 |
| Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital | Michigan (statewide) | $2,205 | 0.6× | 2 | 2026-05-01 |
| Corewell Health Gerber Hospital | Michigan (statewide) | $2,205 | 0.6× | 2 | 2026-05-01 |
| Mainehealth Lincoln Hospital | Maine (statewide) | $22,903 | 6.0× | 1 | 2025-09-09 |
| Franciscan Health Crown Point | Indiana (statewide) | $23,089 | 5.6× | 3 | 2026-01-01 |
| Mount Carmel East | Columbus OH | $23,883 | 6.3× | 24 | 2026-03-31 |
| Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital | Columbus OH | $23,883 | 6.3× | 24 | 2026-03-31 |
| Franciscan Health Michigan City | Indiana (statewide) | $24,226 | 5.8× | 3 | 2026-01-01 |
| Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center | Indiana (statewide) | $24,804 | 6.0× | 22 | 2026-03-31 |
| Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center - Plymouth | Indiana (statewide) | $24,804 | 6.0× | 25 | 2026-03-31 |
| Franciscan Health Lafayette | Indiana (statewide) | $26,003 | 6.3× | 3 | 2026-01-01 |
| Logan Regional Medical Center | West Virginia (statewide) | $26,067 | 6.9× | 1 | 2026-04-01 |
| Wellspan Chambersburg Hospital | Pennsylvania (statewide) | $26,459 | 6.7× | 2 | 2026-01-01 |
| Franciscan Health Indianapolis | Indianapolis IN | $27,621 | 6.7× | 3 | 2026-01-01 |
| Franciscan Health Mooresville | Indianapolis IN | $29,799 | 7.2× | 3 | 2026-01-01 |
Every hospital is on its state's page (linked in the market table) and in the interactive explorer.
Questions
How much do commercial insurers pay hospitals for sentinel lymph node biopsy (underarm)?
Across 1163 hospitals in 80 markets (metro areas and statewide) that post a usable dollar rate, the median commercial rate for CPT 38525, hospital outpatient is $5,613, 1.4× the same hospital's local Medicare base rate. The middle half of hospitals runs $4,250 to $8,561. Figures are each hospital's median across insurers, from its federal price-transparency file.
What does Medicare pay for sentinel lymph node biopsy (underarm)?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient rate for CPT 38525 is $4,000 and its surgery-center rate is $1,603, before local wage adjustment.
Which hospitals post the lowest and highest commercial rates for sentinel lymph node biopsy (underarm)?
Lowest medians: Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas ($1,875), Thedacare Medical Center - Wild Rose Inc ($1,930), Cibola General Hospital ($1,991). Highest: Franciscan Health Mooresville ($29,799), Franciscan Health Indianapolis ($27,621), Wellspan Chambersburg Hospital ($26,459). Coverage: every hospital whose price file we could read.