Culture, bacterial
Facility: Labette Health
Billing Code: 87070 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 87070
- Insurance Median: $10
- Cash Discount Price: $55
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.16x 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 $8.62 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid / KanCare | $7 - $9 | 81% |
| Multiplan | $7 - $112 | 81% |
| Uhccp | $8 | 93% |
| Healthy Blue | $8 | 93% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $9 - $115 | 104% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $9 - $32 | 104% |
| Humana | $9 | 104% |
| Wellcare | $9 | 104% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $10 | 116% |
| Montgomery County | $16 - $44 | 186% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas, Inc | $119 | 1381% |
| Choicecare (First Health Network) | $119 | 1381% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For Labette Health's bacterial culture service (CPT 87070), the cash price of $55.00 is significantly lower than the facility's gross charge of $78.00 and the Medicare benchmark of $8.62. While the facility is a government-owned acute care hospital in Parsons, KS, with a facility rating of 3, patients should note that insurance negotiated rates vary widely among the 12 participating payers, ranging from $7 to $119. For individuals with high-deductible plans, paying the cash price directly may result in lower out-of-pocket costs compared to insurance claims where the negotiated rate exceeds the cash price, though this depends on specific plan deductibles and copays.
To ensure you are not overcharged, it is essential to request an itemized billing audit before finalizing payment, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes. Additionally, if you are self-pay or have a high-deductible plan, ask the billing department about "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the total by 20% to 50% for upfront payment. Since the facility is in-network for most major insurers, the No Surprises Act generally protects you from balance billing for emergency or non-emergency services, but you should still verify your specific plan's allowed amount and deductible status to avoid unexpected charges.