Blood test, potassium
Facility: Providence Medical Center
Billing Code: 84132 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84132
- Insurance Median: $5
- Cash Discount Price: $4
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid / KanCare | $4 | 84% |
| Celtic | $4 - $8 | 84% |
| Healthy Blue | $4 - $5 | 84% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $4 - $8 | 84% |
| Aetna | $5 - $8 | 105% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $5 - $11 | 105% |
| Tricare | $5 | 105% |
| Cigna | $5 | 105% |
| Midland Care Connection | $5 | 105% |
| Kansas Superior Select | $5 | 105% |
| Medicare (plans) | $5 | 105% |
| Corizon | $6 | 126% |
| Naphcare | $7 | 147% |
| Employer Direct Healthcare | $7 | 147% |
| Centurion | $7 | 147% |
| Well Path Prison | $7 | 147% |
| Comp Alliance - Fka Compresults Worker Compensation | $9 | 189% |
| Oha Networks | $10 | 210% |
| Worker Compensation | $10 | 210% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test for potassium at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, KS, the cash price is $4.00, which is significantly lower than the facility's negotiated rates with major payers like UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. While the facility's cash rate is also lower than the state average for this procedure, patients with high-deductible plans should consider paying out-of-pocket directly, as the insurance negotiated rates often exceed the cash price. To secure the lowest possible cost, patients should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can bypass the administrative overhead and higher negotiated ceilings that insurance contracts impose.
It is important to distinguish between the facility's gross charge of $106.00 and the actual amounts billed to patients, as the latter varies by insurance plan. Although the Medicare benchmark for this service is $4.76, commercial negotiated rates frequently range from 200% to 300% of this federal baseline due to administrative costs and contract dynamics. If a patient receives a bill that includes charges from out-of-network ancillary services, such as emergency physicians or specific lab components, they may be subject to balance billing, though the No Surprises Act protects against surprise bills for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. Patients should always request a full, itemized CPT-coded bill to verify that no unbundled codes or services not rendered have been included, ensuring they are only paying for the actual care received.