MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $550
- Cash Discount Price: $2,341
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.26x 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 $243.77 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 226% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 126%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | $110 - $235 | 45% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $110 - $403 | 45% |
| Aetna | $110 - $231 | 45% |
| Provider Partners Health Plans Contracted [320450] | $117 | 48% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $131 - $564 | 54% |
| First Health Contracted [320128] | $181 | 74% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $206 - $3,332 | 85% |
| Medical Associates Health Contracted [320444] | $231 | 95% |
| Mercy Hospice Okc [20252] | $231 | 95% |
| Elara Caring Aspire Hospice [20433] | $231 | 95% |
| Kindful Hospice Contracted [320434] | $231 | 95% |
| Mercy Mgd Behavioral Health Contracted [320259] | $231 | 95% |
| Cigna | $231 - $935 | 95% |
| Cross Timbers Hospice [20098] | $231 | 95% |
| Medicare (plans) | $231 | 95% |
| Halo Hcr Inc Hospice Contracted [320432] | $231 | 95% |
| Tricare | $231 | 95% |
| Pace Of The Ozarks Contracted [320518] | $231 | 95% |
| Globalhealth Contracted [320145] | $231 | 95% |
| Cherokee Nation Health Serv Contracted [320066] | $231 | 95% |
| Kindful Hospice [20434] | $231 | 95% |
| Qual Choice Contracted [320325] | $231 | 95% |
| Halo Hcr Inc Hospice [20432] | $231 | 95% |
| Centivo Contracted [320505] | $235 | 96% |
| Dept Of Veteran Affairs Contracted [320106] | $235 | 96% |
| United Medical Resources Contracted [320454] | $276 - $581 | 113% |
| Providrs Care Network Contracted [320484] | $447 | 183% |
| Insurance System Inc Contracted [320465] | $581 | 238% |
| Benefit Management Contracted [320052] | $581 | 238% |
| Health Systems Inc Contracted [320174] | $581 | 238% |
| Healthscope Contracted [320182] | $581 - $2,702 | 238% |
| Point C Contracted [320238] | $581 - $2,702 | 238% |
| Medica Contracted [320239] | $1,101 | 452% |
| Mercy Benefit Admin Contracted [320251] | $1,210 - $2,521 | 496% |
| Show-Me Health Administrators Contracted [320483] | $1,210 | 496% |
| Yuzu Health Contracted [320521] | $2,521 | 1034% |
| Reflect Health Contracted [320492] | $2,521 | 1034% |
| American Healthcare Alliance Contracted [320020] | $2,521 | 1034% |
| Ebms Contracted [320493] | $2,521 | 1034% |
| Auxiant Contracted [320462] | $2,521 - $2,702 | 1034% |
| Aither Health Contracted [320449] | $2,521 | 1034% |
| Edison Health Solutions Contracted [320502] | $2,521 | 1034% |
| Imagine 360 Contracted [320494] | $2,521 | 1034% |
| Healthlink Contracted [320179] | $2,702 | 1108% |
| Preferred Health Plan Contracted [320522] | $2,702 | 1108% |
| Federal Medical Center Contracted [320127] | $2,702 | 1108% |
| Compcare Of The Ozarks Contracted [320437] | $2,846 | 1167% |
| Workers Comp [20426] | $2,882 | 1182% |
| Private Health Care Systems Contracted [320320] | $3,332 | 1367% |
| Multiplan [20270] | $3,422 | 1404% |
| Multiplan Contracted [320270] | $3,422 | 1404% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of the brain (no contrast) at Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas, the facility's cash price of $2,341 is significantly higher than the state average for this service, which is $384. While commercial insurance plans like UnitedHealthcare and Cigna have negotiated rates that can reach up to $2,702, these amounts often exceed the cash price, making self-pay a potentially more affordable option for patients with high-deductible plans. Because insurance contracts include administrative overhead and multi-layered pricing structures, the negotiated rates do not always reflect the true cost of care; in this case, paying out-of-pocket directly can result in substantial savings compared to the maximum amounts billed by major payers.
To secure the best possible rate, patients should proactively request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling their appointment, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50%. It is also important to verify your specific plan's deductible status, as using insurance before meeting your deductible may result in paying the full negotiated amount rather than a reduced share. Finally, always request a detailed, itemized bill rather than a summary invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be corrected to lower your total debt.