Blood test, ferritin (iron stores)
Facility: Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute
Billing Code: 82728 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82728
- Insurance Median: $35
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.57x 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 $13.63 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 257% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 157%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $14 | 103% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $14 | 103% |
| Cigna | $14 | 103% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $35 | 257% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 82728, representing a blood test for ferritin (iron stores), the Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute in Leawood, KS, has a median negotiated rate of $35.00 across four payers, including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. This negotiated amount is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $13.63, reflecting the administrative costs and contract structures inherent in commercial insurance billing. While the facility is an Acute Care Hospital owned by physicians, the data indicates no specific cash or median paid values were reported for this service, suggesting that patients with high-deductible plans should verify if paying cash upfront could result in a lower total cost than their insurance negotiated rate.
Patients should be aware that hospitals often offer prompt-pay discounts, typically ranging from 20% to 50%, for those who settle bills in full within a short window, such as 30 days. To secure these rates, it is essential to request self-pay classification and prompt-pay pricing before check-in and to sign a waiver of insurance submission to prevent automatic claims processing. Additionally, under the No Surprises Act, patients are protected from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, though they should still request a detailed, itemized bill to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included. Given that over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, reviewing the line-by-line charges is a critical step to identify potential overcharges or discrepancies before finalizing payment.