MRI, brain (with and without contrast)
Facility: University Of Kansas Health System - St Francis Campus
Billing Code: 70553 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70553
- Insurance Median: $1,261
- Cash Discount Price: $923
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.54x 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 $356.43 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 354% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 254%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $1,261 | 354% |
| Web Tpa [2115] | $1,261 | 354% |
| Healthcare Highways [2210] | $1,261 | 354% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $1,261 | 354% |
| Oncology Patient Assistance Programs [2295] | $1,261 | 354% |
| Black Lung [6055] | $1,261 | 354% |
| Lucent Health [6000] | $1,261 | 354% |
| Hooray Health [8000] | $1,261 | 354% |
| Department Of Corrections [1340] | $1,538 | 432% |
| American Postal Workers Union [1070] | $1,778 | 499% |
| National Association Of Letter Carriers [1695] | $1,778 | 499% |
| Healthpartners [1500] | $1,778 | 499% |
| Cigna | $1,778 | 499% |
| Humana | $1,815 | 509% |
| First Health [1375] | $2,390 | 671% |
| Multiplan [1680] | $2,390 | 671% |
| American Healthcare [1055] | $2,390 | 671% |
| Administrative Concepts [1005] | $2,390 | 671% |
| Coventry Healthcare [1320] | $2,522 | 708% |
| Ks Disability Determination [6090] | $3,075 | 863% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of the brain with and without contrast at the University Of Kansas Health System - St Francis Campus in Topeka, the facility's gross charge is $3,075. While the Medicare benchmark for this service is $356.43, the facility's median negotiated rate across 20 payers is $3,075, which is 3.5 times higher than the Medicare amount. This significant markup reflects the administrative costs and contract structures inherent in commercial insurance billing, where rates often include multi-layered processing fees that can inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40%. For patients with high-deductible plans who have not yet met their out-of-pocket maximum, paying the cash price of $923.00 could result in substantial savings compared to the insurance negotiated rate, provided the facility offers a self-pay or prompt-pay discount.
It is important to note that the lowest negotiated rate found in this dataset is $1,261, which is still nearly four times the Medicare benchmark. Patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling, as in-network rates can vary significantly between carriers and even within the same network tier. To minimize costs, individuals should contact the hospital directly to inquire about self-pay discounts or prompt-pay incentives, which can reduce bills by 20% to 50% when paid upfront. Additionally, if you receive an itemized bill, request a full line-by-line audit to identify any errors, unbundled codes, or services not rendered, as over 80% of hospital bills contain discrepancies that can be corrected to lower your final payment.