X-ray, chest (single view)
Facility: Pratt Regional Medical Center
Billing Code: 71045 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71045
- Insurance Median: $87
- Cash Discount Price: $146
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.98x 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Health Aid | $60 - $252 | 67% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $67 - $343 | 75% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $68 - $286 | 76% |
| Aetna | $72 - $302 | 81% |
| Choicecare | $80 - $336 | 90% |
| Celtic Insurance Company | $84 | 94% |
| Healthy Blue | $87 | 98% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this chest X-ray procedure at Pratt Regional Medical Center in Pratt, Kansas, the cash price is $146.00, which is lower than the facility's gross charge of $208.00. While the facility's negotiated rates range from $60 to $343 depending on the insurance carrier, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying cash directly more cost-effective if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds the cash price. It is important to note that commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and can be significantly higher than the cash price; therefore, patients should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling to ensure they are not paying the full insurance rate when a lower cash alternative is available.
The Medicare benchmark for this service is $88.91, which serves as a baseline for evaluating the facility's pricing markup. Although the data does not provide specific state or county average comparisons for this procedure, the facility's cash rate of $146.00 is higher than the Medicare amount, reflecting the typical administrative costs and profit margins built into commercial billing structures. To avoid unexpected costs, patients should request an itemized bill to verify that no services were unbundled or double-charged, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors. If a balance bill arises from an out-of-network situation, patients should dispute the charge with their insurer rather than paying immediately, as federal protections like the No Surprises Act may apply to emergency or non-emergency services at in-network facilities.