Blood test, magnesium
Facility: Centura St. Catherine-Dodge City
Billing Code: 83735 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 83735
- Insurance Median: $115
- Cash Discount Price: $70
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 17.16x 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 $6.7 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 1716% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1616%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Health | $7 | 104% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $7 - $30 | 104% |
| Humana | $7 | 104% |
| Kaiser | $7 | 104% |
| Aetna | $7 - $139 | 104% |
| Medicare (plans) | $7 | 104% |
| Cigna | $7 | 104% |
| Centura Employee Plan | $8 | 119% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $115 | 1716% |
| Wpaa | $122 | 1821% |
| Christian Health Aid | $139 | 2075% |
| Multiplan | $139 - $157 | 2075% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $157 | 2343% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test, magnesium procedure (CPT 83735) at Centura St. Catherine-Dodge City, the negotiated rates range from $7 to $157 depending on the insurance plan, with a median negotiated amount of $115. This facility is a proprietary acute care hospital in Dodge City, Kansas, and its pricing structure is significantly higher than the state average, which is reflected in the 17.2% variance compared to Medicare benchmarks. While commercial insurance contracts often result in higher out-of-pocket costs due to administrative overhead and network tiering, patients with high-deductible plans may find that paying the cash price of $70 directly is more cost-effective than relying on insurance, which can sometimes exceed the cash rate. It is important to note that while the facility offers a cash median of $70, patients should explicitly ask about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront incentives can further reduce the final bill.
The data indicates that Medicare serves as a critical benchmark for evaluating this facility's pricing, with the Medicare amount set at $6.70, which is substantially lower than both the cash and negotiated rates. This disparity highlights how commercial rates can be marked up relative to the federal government's cost-based reimbursement standards. Consumers should be aware that balance billing is generally prohibited for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities under the No Surprises Act, though unexpected charges can still occur if ancillary services like specific lab tests are billed out-of-network. To avoid potential errors or double-charging, patients are encouraged to request a full itemized bill that breaks down every CPT code and unit cost, rather than accepting a summary