CMS Price Transparency Data

CT scan, head (with contrast)

Facility: Kern Valley Healthcare District

Billing Code: 70460 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$230

about 1.3× the $179 Medicare rate · typically $126–$530

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$517

Well above the fair price

about $287 over the fair price · 2.9× Medicare

Medicare pays $179 Fair price $230 This hospital $517 Cash price $903 Hospital's list price $4,299

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other CA hospitals

Highest price of the 9 CA hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $54 Priciest $517

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 CA hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a CT scan, head (with contrast) is about $230 (about 1.3× the $179 Medicare rate). Kern Valley Healthcare District charges insurers about $517, or about $903 in cash — well above the fair price. Located in Lake Isabella, CA.

This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less

Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $230. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

5 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna✓ Humana Kaiser Permanente

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$774	432%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$691 - $4,299	386%
Aetnamajor	$923	515%
Cignamajor	$3,654	2039%
Humanamajor	$903	504%
Health Net	$344 - $3,396	192%
+ 1 smaller / regional plan	$1,032

Government programs also on file: Medicaid, Military & VA.

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price (about 903), before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the CPT code on your bill matches exactly: 70460.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Kern Valley Healthcare District is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 70460.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at Kern Valley Healthcare District

Compare: CT scan, head (with contrast) at other CA hospitals

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.