X-ray, neck (cervical spine)
Facility: St. Catherine Hospital - Garden City
Billing Code: 72040 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72040
- Insurance Median: $110
- Cash Discount Price: $313
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.24x 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | $25 - $29 | 28% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $25 - $263 | 28% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $25 - $189 | 28% |
| Cigna | $25 - $127 | 28% |
| Medicare (plans) | $25 - $29 | 28% |
| Kansas Health | $25 | 28% |
| Aetna | $25 - $357 | 28% |
| Kaiser | $25 - $314 | 28% |
| Innovage | $29 | 33% |
| Devoted Health | $29 | 33% |
| Direct To Employer | $75 - $456 | 84% |
| Centura Employee Plan | $91 | 102% |
| Peak Health | $99 - $445 | 111% |
| Multiplan | $134 - $969 | 151% |
| United Colorado Doctor'S Plan | $182 | 205% |
| Denver Health | $269 | 303% |
| Wpaa | $297 | 334% |
| Christian Health Aid | $340 | 382% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $412 | 463% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray of the cervical spine at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kansas, the facility's cash price of $313.00 is significantly higher than the state average for this procedure, which is $100.00. While commercial insurance plans like Humana and UnitedHealthcare negotiate rates ranging from $25 to $297, these negotiated amounts often exceed the cash price, meaning patients with high-deductible plans might save money by paying the cash rate directly. It is important to note that the hospital's cash price is also higher than the Medicare benchmark of $88.91, indicating a markup of 1.2 times the federal rate. Patients should verify their specific plan details, as some commercial payers may have negotiated rates that are lower than the cash price, but others may charge more, making the cash option a potential financial advantage depending on individual coverage.
Patients should be aware that while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for emergency care at in-network facilities, unexpected charges can still occur if ancillary services are out-of-network or if a summary bill is accepted without review. To avoid overpayment, consumers should request a full itemized bill that lists every CPT code and unit cost, rather than paying a summary invoice that obscures individual charges. Additionally, asking about prompt-pay discounts before scheduling can result in a fee reduction of 20% to 50%, as hospitals offer these incentives to bypass costly insurance claims processing. Since the facility is a voluntary non-profit church-owned hospital, patients should explicitly confirm whether their specific procedure qualifies for self-pay or prompt-pay discounts prior to receiving care to ensure they are not billed the full chargemaster rate