CMS Price Transparency Data

Psychological testing evaluation

Facility: Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center

Billing Code: 96136 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$39

about 0.3× the $136 Medicare rate · typically $31–$96

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$46

Above the fair price

about $7 over the fair price · 0.3× Medicare

Medicare pays $136 Fair price $39 This hospital $46 Cash price $191 Hospital's list price $256

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other IA hospitals

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

Cheapest $25 Priciest $46

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

⚠ The cash price looks unusually high next to the insurance price — it may be the full list price, not a real cash discount. Call to confirm the self-pay rate.

A fair price for a Psychological testing evaluation is about $39 (about 0.3× the $136 Medicare rate). Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center charges insurers about $46, or about $191 in cash — above the fair price. Located in Mason City, IA.

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 $39. 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.

6 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	$20 - $586	15%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$20 - $136	15%
Aetnamajor	$20 - $194	15%
Cignamajor	$20 - $259	15%
Humanamajor	$20 - $46	15%
Kaiser Permanentemajor	$45 - $136	33%
Ambetter (Centene)	$35 - $46	26%
Clover Health	$20	15%
GEHA	$66 - $586	49%
Health Net	$46 - $141	34%
HealthPartners	$42 - $248	31%
Medica	$141 - $259	104%
Medical Mutual	$194	143%
Meridian	$20 - $46	15%
Molina	$46	34%
Oscar Health	$40	29%
Paramount	$46	34%
Presbyterian	$20 - $46	15%
Sanford Health Plan	$34	25%
Tufts Health Plan	$46	34%
UCare	$37	27%
WellMed	$20	15%
WellSense	$46	34%
+ 361 smaller / regional plans	$18 - $370

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

Excludes 15 rental-network / third-party entries (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

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 191), 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: 96136.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 96136.
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 Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center

Compare: Psychological testing evaluation at other IA hospitals

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