Culture, bacterial
Facility: St. Catherine Hospital - Garden City
Billing Code: 87070 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 87070
- Insurance Median: $38
- Cash Discount Price: $101
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.41x 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 $8.62 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 441% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 341%). 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 | $8 - $74 | 93% |
| Kansas Health | $8 | 93% |
| Devoted Health | $8 | 93% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $8 - $55 | 93% |
| Medicare (plans) | $8 | 93% |
| Kaiser | $8 - $114 | 93% |
| Cigna | $8 - $11 | 93% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $8 - $38 | 93% |
| Innovage | $8 | 93% |
| Humana | $8 | 93% |
| Centura Employee Plan | $11 | 128% |
| United Colorado Doctor'S Plan | $13 | 151% |
| Direct To Employer | $15 - $166 | 174% |
| Wpaa | $62 | 719% |
| Christian Health Aid | $71 | 824% |
| Multiplan | $80 - $353 | 928% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $86 | 998% |
| Denver Health | $98 | 1137% |
| Peak Health | $162 | 1879% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the bacterial culture service (CPT 87070) at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, KS, the facility's cash median price is $101, which is significantly higher than the state average of $23. While commercial insurance negotiated rates vary widely among payers—ranging from $8 to $353—the Medicare benchmark for this procedure is only $8.62. This stark difference highlights that commercial rates often include substantial administrative overhead and contract markups compared to the federal baseline. Patients with high-deductible plans should consider that paying the cash price of $101 upfront might be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially if their plan's negotiated rate exceeds the cash amount or if they have not yet met their deductible.
To minimize costs, consumers should proactively request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount before scheduling, as hospitals often offer fee reductions for upfront payments that bypass expensive insurance billing cycles. It is also critical to avoid accepting summary bills; instead, patients should demand a full itemized statement to catch errors or unbundled charges, as over 80% of hospital bills contain inaccuracies. Finally, while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, patients should verify their specific plan details and ensure they are not inadvertently signing waivers that could expose them to unexpected costs.