X-ray, neck (cervical spine)
Facility: Via Christi Hospital Wichita St Teresa, Inc
Billing Code: 72040 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72040
- Insurance Median: $82
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.92x 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 $88.91 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry City Of Wichita | $68 | 76% |
| Humana | $81 | 91% |
| Via Christi Research | $81 | 91% |
| Va | $81 | 91% |
| Saint Lukes Health Systems | $81 | 91% |
| Vc Hope | $81 | 91% |
| Medicare (plans) | $81 - $83 | 91% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $83 - $228 | 93% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $83 | 93% |
| Aetna | $86 | 97% |
| Corizon | $102 | 115% |
| Smarthealth | $114 | 128% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $138 | 155% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray of the cervical spine at Via Christi Hospital Wichita St Teresa, Inc, the negotiated rates range from $68 to $228 depending on your specific insurance plan, with a median negotiated amount of $82.00. This facility is a voluntary non-profit church-owned acute care hospital located in Wichita, Kansas. While the data does not provide a direct comparison to state or county averages for this specific procedure, it is important to understand that commercial negotiated rates often exceed the true cost of care. Medicare serves as a more reliable benchmark for pricing; for this service, the Medicare amount is $88.91, which is higher than the median negotiated rate of $82.00. This indicates that for many in-network plans, the facility is charging less than the federal government's calculated cost baseline, though some plans, such as UnitedHealthcare, have negotiated rates as high as $228.
Patients should be aware that cash-pay options may offer significant savings compared to insurance processing, particularly if your plan has a high deductible or if the insurance negotiated rate exceeds the cash price. Although the data does not list a specific cash price, hospitals frequently offer prompt-pay discounts of 20% to 50% for upfront payment, which bypasses costly administrative fees and collection risks. To ensure you receive the best possible rate, you should explicitly ask the billing department about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts before scheduling your visit and consider signing a waiver to prevent automatic claims submission to insurance. If you receive a bill after care, always request a full itemized audit rather than accepting a summary bill, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through a formal written dispute