Cost of a Abscess Drainage Visit
in Alaska
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Alaska's challenging geography and limited healthcare infrastructure create unique cost dynamics for medical procedures, with patients facing some of the nation's highest healthcare expenses. For Abscess Drainage procedures, Alaskan patients typically encounter costs ranging from $80 to $348, with a median rate of $80 based on insurer-negotiated rates from 383 active providers statewide. Despite Alaska's vast territory and sparse population density, residents have access to qualified specialists across multiple communities, allowing patients to compare options and find appropriate care within their budget.
Average
$169
Median
$80
Lowest
$80
Highest
$348
Providers
383
6% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does abscess drainage (i&d) compare to related procedures in Alaska?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin Biopsy Tangential biopsy of skin | 11102 | $80 | $80 | $95 | 372 |
| Joint Injection Injection into a major joint or bursa | 20610 | $80 | $80 | $85 | 375 |
| Blood Draw (Venipuncture) Routine venipuncture for blood sample | 36415 | $3 | $80 | $85 | 401 |
Important: These are cost estimates only — not a quote and not medical advice.
The prices on this page are self-pay rates, drawn from federal Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (CPT 10060 — Incision and drainage of abscess, simple). They represent what a patient might pay without insurance.
Your actual cost depends on: your specific insurance plan, your remaining deductible, your coinsurance percentage, whether you have met your out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility and provider are both in-network, and any separate anesthesia or implant fees billed independently.
This page does not constitute medical advice. Whether you need this procedure, and which approach is right for you, is a decision to make with a licensed healthcare provider.
Where this data comes from & what CPT 10060 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 10060 (Incision and drainage of abscess, simple), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 10060 covers: the provider's professional fee for abscess drainage (i&d). It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.
How to read this data
Negotiated Rate
The discounted price an insurer has agreed to pay a specific provider. Most insured patients' bills are calculated from this number, not the higher list price hospitals publish separately.
P5, Median, P95
P5 is the rate at the 5th percentile (low end), Median is the middle value, and P95 is the 95th percentile (high end). This range shows how much the same visit can vary between providers.
What this does not tell you
These rates do not tell you what you personally will pay out of pocket. That depends on your specific plan, how much of your deductible you have already met, your coinsurance rate, and whether the provider is in your network. Call your insurer's member line to get your exact estimate.
Why Abscess Drainage Visit Costs Vary Across Alaska
Healthcare costs in Alaska run approximately 35% above national averages due to the state's remote location, harsh weather conditions, and limited transportation infrastructure. The combination of high living costs, expensive medical supply shipping, and recruitment challenges for healthcare professionals creates a uniquely expensive market for all medical services.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Anchorage and Fairbanks concentrate most specialist services, forcing rural residents to travel hundreds of miles for care or rely on regional hospitals with limited capabilities. Bush communities often require air transport to reach qualified providers, adding thousands in travel costs to routine procedures. Telemedicine helps with consultations but cannot replace hands-on procedures like abscess drainage.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient clinics typically charge facility fees in addition to physician charges, increasing total costs significantly compared to independent practices. Alaska's major health systems like Providence and Fairbanks Memorial Hospital dominate markets outside Anchorage, limiting competitive pricing pressure. High utility costs, expensive construction materials, and challenging supply chains drive up operational expenses across all facility types.
Insurance Market Competition in Alaska
Premera Blue Cross controls the majority of Alaska's commercial insurance market, with limited competition from other carriers reducing negotiation leverage for lower rates. The individual marketplace offers few plan options due to Alaska's small population and high costs, concentrating market power. This lack of competition allows insurers and providers to maintain higher prices than more competitive markets.
Physician Supply and Demand in Alaska
Alaska faces chronic physician shortages across all specialties, with recruitment complicated by isolation, weather, and family considerations for medical professionals. The state's 383 providers capable of abscess drainage represents reasonable coverage for the population, though geographic distribution remains uneven. Physician shortages drive up compensation costs, which translate directly to higher patient charges and insurance premiums.
Jayant Panwar
CEO, Momentary Labs · San Francisco, CA
Jayant has analyzed healthcare pricing data from CMS Transparency in Coverage files since 2022, covering more than 50 million negotiated rate records across all 50 states. His work focuses on making insurer machine-readable files accessible to patients and researchers.
The cost figures on this page reflect his ongoing work to make this data accessible to patients.
Frequently Asked Questions — Abscess Drainage Costs in Alaska
What is the average cost of an Abscess Drainage visit in Alaska without insurance?
Does Alaska Medicaid cover Abscess Drainage visits?
How do I find an affordable Abscess Drainage near me in Alaska?
What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?
Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for an Abscess Drainage visit in Alaska?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a provider for abscess drainage in Alaska?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 10060)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin Range: $73 – $779 | $317 |
| 2 | North Dakota Range: $80 – $611 | $277 |
| 3 | Iowa Range: $85 – $502 | $267 |
| 4 | Minnesota Range: $80 – $540 | $256 |
| 5 | Massachusetts Range: $80 – $464 | $237 |
| 6 | Rhode Island Range: $80 – $464 | $237 |
| 7 | Illinois Range: $80 – $459 | $230 |
| 8 | Connecticut Range: $80 – $464 | $230 |
| 9 | Nebraska Range: $119 – $308 | $228 |
| 10 | New York Range: $81 – $464 | $227 |
| 11 | Delaware Range: $76 – $464 | $219 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania Range: $73 – $464 | $219 |
| 13 | Michigan Range: $80 – $464 | $216 |
| 14 | West Virginia Range: $80 – $456 | $216 |
| 15 | New Hampshire Range: $112 – $303 | $214 |
| 16 | Indiana Range: $80 – $456 | $210 |
| 17 | Georgia Range: $83 – $397 | $209 |
| 18 | Wyoming Range: $80 – $372 | $206 |
| 19 | Maine Range: $126 – $254 | $200 |
| 20 | Oregon Range: $80 – $387 | $195 |
| 21 | District of Columbia Range: $76 – $346 | $194 |
| 22 | Washington Range: $80 – $324 | $182 |
| 23 | South Dakota Range: $83 – $309 | $178 |
| 24 | Vermont Range: $95 – $290 | $178 |
| 25 | New Mexico Range: $85 – $274 | $172 |
| 26 | Alaska Range: $80 – $348 | $169 |
| 27 | Colorado Range: $62 – $309 | $168 |
| 28 | North Carolina Range: $77 – $297 | $168 |
| 29 | Utah Range: $40 – $278 | $168 |
| 30 | Kentucky Range: $80 – $308 | $167 |
| 31 | Hawaii Range: $80 – $308 | $166 |
| 32 | Montana Range: $80 – $308 | $156 |
| 33 | Idaho Range: $80 – $289 | $155 |
| 34 | New Jersey Range: $44 – $306 | $151 |
| 35 | Arkansas Range: $85 – $224 | $149 |
| 36 | Maryland Range: $71 – $254 | $145 |
| 37 | Texas Range: $80 – $233 | $142 |
| 38 | Virginia Range: $67 – $244 | $140 |
| 39 | South Carolina Range: $80 – $232 | $140 |
| 40 | Oklahoma Range: $79 – $227 | $137 |
| 41 | Tennessee Range: $83 – $204 | $135 |
| 42 | Louisiana Range: $76 – $211 | $132 |
| 43 | Missouri Range: $81 – $178 | $131 |
| 44 | Kansas Range: $88 – $177 | $129 |
| 45 | Alabama Range: $76 – $203 | $127 |
| 46 | Ohio Range: $63 – $206 | $124 |
| 47 | Arizona Range: $80 – $192 | $124 |
| 48 | Mississippi Range: $79 – $187 | $124 |
| 49 | California Range: $15 – $264 | $122 |
| 50 | Nevada Range: $30 – $189 | $102 |
| 51 | Florida Range: $35 – $187 | $92 |
