X-ray, hip

For the CPT code 73502 (X-ray, hip), Mercy Hospital Pittsburg, Inc. lists a gross charge of $468.00, which is significantly higher than the facility's own cash median of $304.00 and the median negotiated rate of $87.00. While the facility's cash price is lower than the gross charge, it remains above the Medicare benchmark of $88.91, which serves as the federal baseline for the true cost of this service. Commercial payers negotiate rates that vary widely, ranging from $31 to $398 depending on the plan, with many contracts settling at the Medicare rate of $84.00. Because commercial negotiated rates often exceed cash prices due to administrative overhead and contract structures, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash median of $304.00 more cost-effective than relying on insurance, provided they have not yet met their deductible.

To minimize out-of-pocket costs, patients should proactively request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the total bill by 20% to 50% by bypassing costly claims processing. It is important to verify the specific allowed amount for your insurance plan, as in-network rates are not uniform and can vary significantly between carriers; for instance, some plans pay as low as $31 while others pay up to $398 for this procedure. Additionally, while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, patients should always request a detailed, itemized bill to ensure no errors or unbund