Blood test, vitamin D
Facility: Susan B Allen Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 82306 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82306
- Insurance Median: $554
- Cash Discount Price: $100
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 18.72x 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 $29.6 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 1872% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1772%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $350 | 1182% |
| Providrs Care | $757 | 2557% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this vitamin D blood test at Susan B Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado, KS, the cash price of $100.00 is significantly lower than the facility's negotiated rates of $554.00 and the insurance-specific charges of $350.00 and $757.00. Because commercial insurance contracts often include administrative overheads that inflate the final allowed amount, paying cash directly can result in substantial savings for patients with high-deductible plans. To secure the lowest possible price, patients should explicitly request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions typically range from 20% to 50% and bypass the costly claims processing cycle.
When evaluating the cost of this service, it is important to compare rates against the Medicare benchmark rather than the hospital's full chargemaster list, which often inflates the perceived value of discounts. The Medicare reimbursement rate for this procedure is $29.60, meaning the cash price of $100.00 represents a markup of approximately 18.7% above the federal baseline, which is generally considered a fair and transparent pricing structure. While the facility is a voluntary non-profit acute care hospital, patients should verify their specific plan's network status and deductible requirements, as paying the negotiated rate without meeting a deductible could result in higher out-of-pocket costs than paying the cash price directly.