MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Southwest Medical Center
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $3,729
- Cash Discount Price: $3,518
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 15.30x 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 $243.77 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 1530% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1430%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Health_Choice | $2,800 - $3,500 | 1149% |
| Wppa | $2,800 - $3,500 | 1149% |
| Multiplan_Phcs_Primary_Network | $3,400 - $4,250 | 1395% |
| United_Healthcare_Commercial | $3,480 - $4,350 | 1428% |
| Omni_Network | $3,600 - $4,500 | 1477% |
| National_Beef_Packing | $3,600 - $4,500 | 1477% |
| Multiplan_Phcs_Auto | $3,600 - $4,500 | 1477% |
| Multiplan_Phcs_Complementary_Network | $3,720 - $4,650 | 1526% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI, brain (no contrast) procedure at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, KS, the cash median price is $3,518, which is $15.30 higher than the Medicare benchmark of $243.77. While the facility's negotiated rates with major payers like Health_Choice and Wppa range from $2,800 to $3,500, these amounts are generally higher than the cash price. Patients with high-deductible plans may find paying out-of-pocket cheaper if their insurance allows a rate exceeding the cash price, so it is advisable to ask the hospital directly about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts before scheduling.
Although the facility is government-owned and located in a rural area (ZIP 67901), the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons for this procedure, so no direct regional benchmarking is available. However, the gross chargemaster rate of $4,398 is significantly higher than both the cash and negotiated rates, illustrating how administrative costs and insurance processing fees can inflate the final bill. To avoid unexpected costs, patients should request an itemized billing audit to verify that all charges are accurate and that no services were unbundled or double-billed, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through formal written disputes.