How Much Does Mrna gene analysis of 10,196 genes in fine needle aspiration thyroid specimen, reported as category result (e.g. benign, suspicious) Cost on Medicare?

Cost analysis for CPT 81546 — Mrna gene analysis of 10,196 genes in fine needle aspiration thyroid specimen, reported as category result (e.g. benign, suspicious)

Average Medicare Payment

$3508.51

2023 data

Total Payments (2023)

$32.5M

Services (2023)

9.3K

Price Change (2021–2023)

-1.9%

📈 Year-over-Year Cost Trend

Year	Avg Payment	Total Payments	Services	YoY Change
2021	$3577.20	$28.2M	7.9K	—
2022	$3534.54	$29.8M	8.4K	-1.2%
2023	$3508.51	$32.5M	9.3K	-0.7%

🗺️ State-by-State Cost Variation

The most expensive state pays 1.0x more than the cheapest for this procedure. CA averages $3508.51 vs CA at $3508.51.

State	Avg Payment	Total Payments	Services	Providers
CA	$3508.51	$32.5M	9.3K	1

💰 Who Bills the Most for This Procedure?

Provider	Specialty	State	Payments	Services	Avg/Service
Veracyte, Inc.	Clinical Laboratory	CA	$32.5M	9.3K	$3508.51

🤔 Is Mrna gene analysis of 10,196 genes in fine needle aspiration thyroid specimen, reported as category result (e.g. benign, suspicious) Overpriced?

Based on the data, CPT 81546 shows a 1.0x variation in pricing across states — relatively consistent by Medicare standards.

Costs have decreased 1.9% since 2021. Medicare's fee schedule attempts to standardize pricing, though some variation is expected due to geographic cost-of-living adjustments and practice expense differences.

This analysis is based on publicly available CMS data and does not account for patient complexity, comorbidities, or facility-specific factors that may justify pricing differences.

Data Sources

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
• Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data (2014-2023)
• Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

Note: All data is from publicly available Medicare records. OpenMedicare is an independent journalism project not affiliated with CMS.