Blood test, potassium
Facility: Ascension Via Christi Hospitals Wichita, Inc.
Billing Code: 84132 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84132
- Insurance Median: $5
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.05x 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 $4.76 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Smarthealth | $1 - $7 | 21% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $5 - $13 | 105% |
| Via Christi Research | $5 | 105% |
| Humana | $5 | 105% |
| Vc Hope | $5 | 105% |
| Saint Lukes Health Systems | $5 | 105% |
| Medicare (plans) | $5 | 105% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $5 | 105% |
| Va | $5 | 105% |
| Corizon | $6 | 126% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $8 | 168% |
| Aetna | $15 | 315% |
| Coventry City Of Wichita | $19 | 399% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test, potassium procedure (CPT 84132), Ascension Via Christi Hospitals Wichita, Inc. has a negotiated average payment of $5.00 across 13 payers, which is slightly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $4.76. While the facility is a voluntary non-profit in Wichita, Kansas, the data does not provide specific cash or state/county average rates for this service, so a direct comparison to local market averages is not possible. Patients should be aware that commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and can exceed cash prices; however, without available cash rate data, it is unclear if paying out-of-pocket would result in savings.
Because this service is covered by multiple insurers including Medicare, Medicaid/KanCare, and major commercial plans, patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status before scheduling, as high negotiated rates may not apply until the annual deductible is met. If a patient chooses to pay cash directly, they should explicitly ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce costs by 20% to 50% by bypassing insurance claims processing. Additionally, if any balance billing occurs from out-of-network ancillary services, patients should request a formal itemized audit to identify unbundled codes or errors, as over 80% of hospital bills contain discrepancies that can be corrected through written dispute.