X-ray, hip
Facility: Susan B Allen Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 73502 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73502
- Insurance Median: $554
- Cash Discount Price: $304
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.23x 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 623% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 523%). 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 | 394% |
| Providrs Care | $757 | 851% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this X-ray, hip procedure at Susan B Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado, KS, the cash price is $304, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rates of $554. While the hospital is a voluntary non-profit acute care facility, patients with high-deductible plans might find paying cash directly more affordable than using insurance, as the negotiated rate of $554 exceeds the cash price. It is important to note that commercial rates often include administrative overhead and contract dynamics that can inflate the baseline price; for context, fair pricing is typically defined as 120% to 150% of the Medicare rate of $88.91, whereas commercial negotiated rates average 200% to 300% of this benchmark.
Before scheduling, patients should explicitly request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full upfront. This bypasses the costly insurance claims processing cycle and eliminates potential bad debt collection fees. Additionally, if you have insurance, be aware that balance billing could occur if you receive care from an out-of-network provider, where the hospital bills you for the difference between their full chargemaster rate and what your insurer allows. To avoid unexpected costs, always demand a full itemized CPT-coded bill before paying and verify your deductible status, as paying a high negotiated rate without meeting your deductible can result in significant out-of-pocket expenses.