Bunion correction surgery
Facility: St. Catherine Hospital - Garden City
Billing Code: 28296 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 28296
- Insurance Median: $507
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.15x 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 $3,342.87 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kaiser | $467 - $507 | 14% |
| Kansas Health | $467 | 14% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $467 - $3,940 | 14% |
| Humana | $467 - $507 | 14% |
| Cigna | $467 - $507 | 14% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $467 - $507 | 14% |
| Medicare (plans) | $467 - $507 | 14% |
| Aetna | $467 - $507 | 14% |
| Devoted Health | $507 | 15% |
| Innovage | $507 | 15% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 28296 (Bunion correction surgery) at St. Catherine Hospital - Garden City, the negotiated rates range from $467 to $507 across ten payers, with a median negotiated amount of $507. This facility is a voluntary non-profit church-owned acute care hospital located in Garden City, KS (zip 67846). While the data does not provide a specific cash or median paid amount for this service, patients should note that cash-pay options can sometimes be more cost-effective than insurance negotiated rates, particularly for those with high-deductible plans where the insurer's allowed amount exceeds the cash price. It is advisable to contact the hospital directly to inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can significantly reduce the final bill by bypassing administrative fees and claims processing costs.
When evaluating costs, it is important to understand that commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and can be higher than the true cost of care, which is best represented by the Medicare benchmark. For this procedure, the Medicare amount is $3,342.87, and the facility's negotiated rates are approximately 15% higher than the Medicare base, falling within the typical range of 120% to 150% of Medicare considered fair pricing. Although the data does not explicitly list state or county average comparisons for this specific code, patients should be aware that balance billing is generally prohibited for out-of-network services at in-network facilities under the No Surprises Act, protecting consumers from unexpected charges for emergency or non-emergency care. To ensure transparency, patients should request a full itemized bill before paying, as summary bills may obscure