X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: University Of Kansas Health System - St Francis Campus
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $423
- Cash Discount Price: $219
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.76x 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 $88.91 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 476% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 376%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Highways [2210] | $300 | 337% |
| Web Tpa [2115] | $300 | 337% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $300 | 337% |
| Hooray Health [8000] | $300 | 337% |
| Oncology Patient Assistance Programs [2295] | $300 | 337% |
| Aetna | $300 | 337% |
| Black Lung [6055] | $300 | 337% |
| Lucent Health [6000] | $300 | 337% |
| Department Of Corrections [1340] | $366 | 412% |
| American Postal Workers Union [1070] | $423 | 476% |
| National Association Of Letter Carriers [1695] | $423 | 476% |
| Cigna | $423 | 476% |
| Healthpartners [1500] | $423 | 476% |
| Humana | $431 | 485% |
| Multiplan [1680] | $568 | 639% |
| Administrative Concepts [1005] | $568 | 639% |
| American Healthcare [1055] | $568 | 639% |
| First Health [1375] | $568 | 639% |
| Geha [1415] | $596 | 670% |
| Healthscope Benefits [2290] | $596 | 670% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $596 | 670% |
| Coventry Healthcare [1320] | $599 | 674% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray, chest (two views) procedure at the University Of Kansas Health System - St Francis Campus in Topeka, KS, the facility's negotiated rates range from $300 to $599 across 22 payers, with a median negotiated amount of $423. This is significantly higher than the cash price of $219, which could be a more cost-effective option for patients with high-deductible plans or those paying out-of-pocket. While the facility's median paid amount of $731 exceeds the gross Medicare rate of $88.91 by a factor of 4.8, indicating a substantial markup, the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons to contextualize this pricing relative to regional norms.
Patients should be aware that insurance contracts often create a ceiling on what payers will reimburse, but these negotiated rates do not always reflect the lowest possible cost. To minimize expenses, individuals should verify their specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling and explicitly request self-pay or prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce bills by 20% to 50% if paid upfront. It is also critical to avoid balance billing by ensuring the facility is in-network and to request a full itemized bill to identify any errors or unbundled charges, as over 80% of hospital bills contain mistakes that can be corrected through a formal written audit dispute.