Blood test, amylase
Facility: Kansas Heart Hospital
Billing Code: 82150 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82150
- Insurance Median: $6
- Cash Discount Price: $26
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.93x 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 $6.48 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $3 | 46% |
| Celtic Mcr Adv | $6 | 93% |
| Tricare | $6 | 93% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $6 | 93% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $6 | 93% |
| Humana | $6 | 93% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $17 | 262% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $17 | 262% |
| Multiplan - All Plans | $37 | 571% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 82150, representing a blood test for amylase, Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita, KS lists a gross charge of $41.00. While the facility's cash median is $26.00 and the median negotiated rate across payers is $6.00, it is important to compare these figures against the Medicare benchmark of $6.48 to understand the true cost baseline. Under Medicare benchmarking principles, commercial rates often exceed the Medicare rate by 200% to 300%, whereas fair pricing is typically defined as 120% to 150% of this federal standard. For patients with high-deductible plans, paying the cash price of $26.00 upfront may be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the negotiated rate of $6.00 includes administrative overhead and contract dynamics that can inflate the final bill if the deductible has not yet been met.
Patients should proactively contact the hospital to inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the cash price by 20% to 50% by bypassing costly claims processing and administrative labor. Since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, requesting a full itemized billing audit before finalizing payment is a critical step to identify double-billing or unbundled codes. Additionally, while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, it is essential to verify that all ancillary services, such as specific lab components, are properly classified to avoid unexpected charges. Always confirm your deductible status and request a written waiver of insurance submission if