MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Salina Regional Health Center
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $3,843
- Cash Discount Price: $2,989
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 15.76x Medicare
Average discount available for prompt cash payment at this facility.
Median negotiated contract rate across all mapped commercial carriers.
Standard federal government reimbursement rate for this code.
Visual Cost Comparison vs. Medicare
Understanding this gauge: We use the federal Medicare rate of $243.77 as the cost baseline. Rates below the baseline represent excellent value. In-network commercial rates commonly hover around 150% - 250% of Medicare, while rates exceeding 300% are elevated. Hover over the green and blue markers to view detailed calculations.
Elevated Commercial Rate Alert (Value-Gap)
The negotiated rate at this facility is 1576% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1476%). Patients with high-deductible plans or out-of-network benefits may face excessive out-of-pocket costs.
Out-of-Pocket Cost Estimator
Estimate whether it is more economical to use your insurance or pay the upfront self-pay cash rate.
Commercial Insurance Negotiated Rates
Negotiated contract ranges established by major commercial carriers at this facility.
| Carrier / Plan Group | Contract Rate Range | vs. Medicare Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $551 - $580 | 226% |
| Preferred Phsic | $2,562 | 1051% |
| Preferred Healthcare - All Other Plans | $3,458 | 1419% |
| Providers Care (Wppa)-All Plans | $3,843 | 1576% |
| Multiplan (Mpi)-All Plans | $3,843 | 1576% |
| Cigna | $3,843 | 1576% |
| Aetna | $3,843 | 1576% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of the brain (no contrast) at Salina Regional Health Center in Salina, KS, the facility's cash median rate is $2,989, which is lower than the negotiated rates paid by most major insurers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Preferred Phsic, and Cigna. While the facility's negotiated rate of $3,843 is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $243.77, indicating a substantial markup typical of commercial contracts, patients with high-deductible plans may find the cash price more affordable if their insurance allowed amount exceeds this figure. It is important to note that while the facility is a voluntary non-profit acute care hospital, the cash rate does not automatically guarantee the lowest cost; patients should explicitly ask about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts before scheduling to ensure they are not billed the full negotiated amount by their insurer.
The data indicates that for this specific procedure, the cash price is notably lower than the median negotiated rates of $3,843 and the median paid amount of $3,458, suggesting that paying out-of-pocket could result in immediate savings compared to standard insurance processing. However, patients must be aware that balance billing could occur if they are treated by out-of-network providers, where the hospital might bill the difference between the full chargemaster and the insurance allowed amount, though the No Surprises Act protects emergency and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. To avoid unexpected costs, consumers should request an itemized billing audit to verify that no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included, and they should dispute any summary bills that obscure individual line items before finalizing payment.