MRI, brain (with and without contrast)
Facility: University Of Kansas Hospital
Billing Code: 70553 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70553
- Insurance Median: $2,960
- Cash Discount Price: $1,221
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 8.30x 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 $356.43 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 830% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 730%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $326 - $521 | 91% |
| Triwest [503201703] | $326 | 91% |
| Ku Athletics [503200094] | $326 | 91% |
| Devoted [503200068] | $326 | 91% |
| Workers Comp [503999901] | $326 - $5,799 | 91% |
| Medicare (plans) | $326 - $332 | 91% |
| Lasso Healthcare [503999926] | $326 | 91% |
| Aetna | $326 - $456 | 91% |
| Humana | $326 - $332 | 91% |
| Tricare | $326 | 91% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $335 - $4,685 | 94% |
| Allwell [503200078] | $335 | 94% |
| American Health Plans [503200968] | $342 | 96% |
| Oscar [503201609] | $391 | 110% |
| Centurion [5032000966] | $423 | 119% |
| Wellfit [503301514] | $537 | 151% |
| Centivo [5032000982] | $537 | 151% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $554 | 155% |
| 6 Degrees Health [503999050] | $570 - $814 | 160% |
| Alt Wppa [5032000964] | $651 - $3,698 | 183% |
| Fort Hays State Student Athletes [5032000960] | $684 | 192% |
| Occunet [503999930] | $684 | 192% |
| Multiplan [503200057] | $879 | 247% |
| Claimdoc [503301509] | $879 | 247% |
| Advanced Medical Pricing Solutions [503301513] | $977 | 274% |
| Larned State Hospital [503200090] | $1,801 | 505% |
| Health Plan Inc [503999941] | $2,869 | 805% |
| Accarent Health [503999034] | $3,052 | 856% |
| Alt Carelon Behavioral Health [503200905] | $3,052 | 856% |
| Allied National [503999937] | $3,662 | 1027% |
| Php [503200005] | $3,662 - $4,511 | 1027% |
| Geha [503200036] | $3,698 | 1038% |
| Healthlink [503200007] | $3,698 - $4,511 | 1038% |
| Med-Pay [503200040] | $3,698 | 1038% |
| Cerner [503200038] | $3,698 | 1038% |
| Inter-Americas Insurance [503999032] | $3,698 | 1038% |
| First Health [5032000110] | $4,023 | 1129% |
| Aha-Healthcare Preferred [503200050] | $4,023 | 1129% |
| Ascension Living Hope [503201517] | $4,273 | 1199% |
| Consolidated Billing [50311256] | $4,273 | 1199% |
| Coeur Plan Services [503301517] | $4,273 | 1199% |
| Correct Care Solutions [50311253] | $4,273 | 1199% |
| Orscheln Industries [503201608] | $4,578 | 1284% |
| Alt Lineco [5032000976] | $4,685 | 1314% |
| Alt Lucent Health Solutions [503202603] | $4,685 | 1314% |
| Empire Plan/Nyship [503200705] | $4,685 | 1314% |
| Point Comfort Underwriters [503200018] | $4,883 | 1370% |
| Cigna | $4,883 | 1370% |
| Century Health Solutions [503200054] | $4,883 | 1370% |
| Quiktrip [5032000412] | $4,883 | 1370% |
| Wppa [503200056] | $5,127 | 1438% |
| Meritain Health [503200039] | $5,127 | 1438% |
| Three Rivers Provider Network [503999029] | $5,494 | 1541% |
| Employers Health Network [503999025] | $5,494 | 1541% |
| Sanford Health Plan [503999027] | $5,494 | 1541% |
| Plan Care America [503999026] | $5,494 | 1541% |
| Usa Managed Care [503999030] | $5,494 | 1541% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of the brain (with and without contrast) at University Of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, KS, the facility's cash price is $1,221, which is significantly higher than the state average of $326 and the county average of $326. While many commercial payers negotiate rates ranging from $326 to $4,685, the cash price remains the lowest single-point rate available for this service. Patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance may find the cash price more affordable than their specific insurance negotiated rate, which can vary widely depending on the payer and plan. It is important to note that while the cash price is lower than most negotiated rates, it is still nearly four times the Medicare benchmark of $356.43, indicating a substantial markup relative to the federal government's cost-based reimbursement.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively contact the hospital to inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full upfront. Additionally, if you have insurance, you should request an itemized billing audit before paying any balance bill, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be disputed. Under the No Surprises Act, you are protected from balance billing for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities for emergency and non-emergency services, so any unexpected charges should be audited immediately rather than paid out of fear of credit damage. Always verify your deductible status and ensure you are comparing rates against the Medicare benchmark rather than the inflated chargemaster list to understand the true