CT scan, chest (no contrast)
Facility: Pratt Regional Medical Center
Billing Code: 71250 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71250
- Insurance Median: $174
- Cash Discount Price: $746
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.63x 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 $106.81 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Celtic Insurance Company | $102 | 95% |
| Healthy Blue | $105 | 98% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $112 - $1,994 | 105% |
| Christian Health Aid | $131 - $1,466 | 123% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $148 - $1,662 | 139% |
| Aetna | $157 - $1,760 | 147% |
| Choicecare | $174 - $1,955 | 163% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For patients with high-deductible plans, paying cash for this CT scan at Pratt Regional Medical Center in Pratt, KS, could be more cost-effective than using insurance. The facility's cash median price is $746.00, which is lower than the negotiated rates paid by major insurers like UnitedHealthcare (ranging from $112 to $1,994) and Aetna ($157 to $1,760). While the Medicare benchmark rate for this service is $106.81, commercial contracts often include administrative overhead that inflates the final allowed amount. Patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status and ask the hospital directly about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can significantly lower out-of-pocket costs compared to the standard insurance negotiated rate.
It is important to distinguish between the facility's gross charge of $1,065.00 and the actual amounts billed to patients. The gross charge represents the hospital's full list price, but insurance contracts cap payments at negotiated rates, which in this case are still higher than the cash price. Additionally, under federal protections like the No Surprises Act, patients should not be balance billed for out-of-network services received at this in-network acute care hospital, though they should still request a detailed, itemized bill to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included. Since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, patients should review their statement line-by-line and dispute any discrepancies in writing rather than accepting a summary invoice, ensuring they only pay for the actual care received.