Cost of a Abscess Drainage Visit
in Iowa
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Iowa's healthcare system serves a predominantly rural population with just 624 active Abscess Drainage providers statewide, creating unique cost dynamics across the state. Patients typically pay between $85 and $502 for an abscess drainage procedure, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $215 based on negotiated insurance rates. The state's expanded Medicaid program and dominant insurer Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield help maintain costs approximately 9% below national averages, though rural patients may face higher charges due to limited provider competition.
Average
$267
Median
$215
Lowest
$85
Highest
$502
Providers
624
49% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does abscess drainage (i&d) compare to related procedures in Iowa?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin Biopsy Tangential biopsy of skin | 11102 | $54 | $123 | $251 | 490 |
| Joint Injection Injection into a major joint or bursa | 20610 | $61 | $109 | $256 | 503 |
| Blood Draw (Venipuncture) Routine venipuncture for blood sample | 36415 | $3 | $72 | $95 | 1,396 |
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 Iowa
Iowa's healthcare costs run approximately 9% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and rural healthcare infrastructure. The concentration of major health systems in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids creates pricing advantages for urban residents while leaving rural patients with fewer competitive options.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Des Moines metro area accounts for nearly 30% of Iowa's 624 abscess drainage providers, while 44 rural counties have fewer than 5 providers each. Rural patients often travel 50+ miles to reach specialists, creating additional costs and delays that urban patients avoid. Critical access hospitals in small towns may charge higher rates due to economies of scale challenges.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
UnityPoint Health, MercyOne, and Iowa Health System dominate hospital-based outpatient care with higher overhead costs reflected in drainage procedure pricing. Independent urgent care centers and family medicine practices offer competitive rates but may lack advanced wound care capabilities. Ambulatory surgery centers provide middle-ground pricing with specialized drainage expertise.
Insurance Market Competition in Iowa
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield maintains 60%+ market share, followed by United Healthcare and Aetna competing primarily for employer groups and individual marketplace plans. Limited insurer competition reduces negotiating pressure on provider rates, particularly in rural markets where provider choice remains constrained. Self-funded employer plans often negotiate better rates than fully-insured products.
Physician Supply and Demand in Iowa
With 624 active providers capable of performing abscess drainage across a population of 3.2 million, Iowa maintains adequate overall supply concentrated in urban centers. Rural physician shortages create higher demand and pricing power for providers serving agricultural communities and small towns. Emergency department coverage fills gaps but at premium pricing compared to scheduled outpatient procedures.
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 Iowa
What is the average cost of a Abscess Drainage visit in Iowa without insurance?
Does Iowa Medicaid cover Abscess Drainage visits?
How do I find an affordable Abscess Drainage near me in Iowa?
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 a Abscess Drainage visit in Iowa?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Abscess Drainage in Iowa?
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 |