Psychological testing by technician
Facility: Via Christi Hospital Wichita St Teresa, Inc
Billing Code: 96138 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 96138
- Insurance Median: $373
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.82x 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 $456.4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Va | $369 | 81% |
| Medicare (plans) | $369 - $376 | 81% |
| Vc Hope | $369 | 81% |
| Humana | $369 | 81% |
| Via Christi Research | $369 | 81% |
| Saint Lukes Health Systems | $369 | 81% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $376 - $1,033 | 82% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $376 | 82% |
| Corizon | $461 | 101% |
| Smarthealth | $517 | 113% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $627 | 137% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 96138, representing psychological testing by a technician, the facility in Wichita, Kansas, has a median negotiated rate of $373.00 across 11 payers. This rate is significantly lower than the highest commercial rates observed in the data, such as UnitedHealthcare's range of $376 to $1,033, and aligns closely with the state average for this service. When compared to the Medicare benchmark of $456.40, the facility's negotiated rates fall within the range of 80% to 100% of the Medicare amount, indicating pricing that is competitive and potentially fair relative to the federal cost baseline. Patients should note that while cash payments are not explicitly listed in the data, hospitals often offer prompt-pay discounts of 20% to 50% for upfront billing, which can result in a lower out-of-pocket cost than the standard negotiated rate, especially if a patient has a high deductible and has not yet met their insurance threshold.
It is important to distinguish between the facility's negotiated rates and the full chargemaster list price, as commercial rates often include administrative overhead that can inflate the baseline cost by 20% to 40%. In this case, the most expensive payer, UnitedHealthcare, shows a high-end range of $1,033, which represents a substantial markup compared to the median negotiated rate of $373.00. To ensure you are receiving the best possible price, we recommend requesting an itemized billing audit to verify that all services rendered are accurately coded and that no unbundled charges or services not delivered are included in the final statement