MRI, knee or other leg joint
Facility: Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas
Billing Code: 73721 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73721
- Insurance Median: $1,373
- Cash Discount Price: $1,722
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.63x 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 563% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 463%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid / KanCare | $120 - $380 | 49% |
| Aetna | $120 - $231 | 49% |
| Humana | $120 - $235 | 49% |
| Provider Partners Health Plans Contracted [320450] | $129 | 53% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $131 - $564 | 54% |
| First Health Contracted [320128] | $198 | 81% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $206 - $3,086 | 85% |
| Elara Caring Aspire Hospice [20433] | $231 | 95% |
| Mercy Mgd Behavioral Health Contracted [320259] | $231 | 95% |
| Qual Choice Contracted [320325] | $231 | 95% |
| Globalhealth Contracted [320145] | $231 | 95% |
| Medical Associates Health Contracted [320444] | $231 | 95% |
| Cigna | $231 - $935 | 95% |
| Kindful Hospice Contracted [320434] | $231 | 95% |
| Pace Of The Ozarks Contracted [320518] | $231 | 95% |
| Halo Hcr Inc Hospice Contracted [320432] | $231 | 95% |
| Cross Timbers Hospice [20098] | $231 | 95% |
| Halo Hcr Inc Hospice [20432] | $231 | 95% |
| Mercy Hospice Okc [20252] | $231 | 95% |
| Medicare (plans) | $231 | 95% |
| Kindful Hospice [20434] | $231 | 95% |
| Cherokee Nation Health Serv Contracted [320066] | $231 | 95% |
| Tricare | $231 | 95% |
| Centivo Contracted [320505] | $235 | 96% |
| Dept Of Veteran Affairs Contracted [320106] | $235 | 96% |
| United Medical Resources Contracted [320454] | $276 - $629 | 113% |
| Providrs Care Network Contracted [320484] | $447 | 183% |
| Point C Contracted [320238] | $629 - $2,502 | 258% |
| Health Systems Inc Contracted [320174] | $629 | 258% |
| Insurance System Inc Contracted [320465] | $629 | 258% |
| Healthscope Contracted [320182] | $629 - $2,502 | 258% |
| Benefit Management Contracted [320052] | $629 | 258% |
| Medica Contracted [320239] | $1,101 | 452% |
| Mercy Benefit Admin Contracted [320251] | $1,313 - $2,335 | 539% |
| Show-Me Health Administrators Contracted [320483] | $1,313 | 539% |
| Aither Health Contracted [320449] | $1,373 - $2,335 | 563% |
| Imagine 360 Contracted [320494] | $1,373 - $2,335 | 563% |
| Ebms Contracted [320493] | $1,373 - $2,335 | 563% |
| Yuzu Health Contracted [320521] | $1,373 - $2,335 | 563% |
| Edison Health Solutions Contracted [320502] | $1,373 - $2,335 | 563% |
| American Healthcare Alliance Contracted [320020] | $1,373 - $2,335 | 563% |
| Reflect Health Contracted [320492] | $1,373 - $2,335 | 563% |
| Auxiant Contracted [320462] | $1,373 - $2,502 | 563% |
| Preferred Health Plan Contracted [320522] | $1,472 - $2,502 | 604% |
| Federal Medical Center Contracted [320127] | $1,472 - $2,502 | 604% |
| Healthlink Contracted [320179] | $1,472 - $2,502 | 604% |
| Compcare Of The Ozarks Contracted [320437] | $1,550 - $2,635 | 636% |
| Workers Comp [20426] | $1,570 - $2,669 | 644% |
| Private Health Care Systems Contracted [320320] | $1,815 - $3,086 | 745% |
| Multiplan Contracted [320270] | $1,864 - $3,169 | 765% |
| Multiplan [20270] | $1,864 - $3,169 | 765% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of a knee or other leg joint at Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas, the facility's cash price of $1,722 is significantly lower than the median negotiated rate of $1,373 paid by most commercial insurers, including UnitedHealthcare and Cigna. While many payers have negotiated rates ranging from $120 to over $2,500, the cash price offers a substantial discount for patients who pay upfront, particularly those with high-deductible plans where insurance reimbursement might still exceed the cash amount. Because hospitals often offer prompt-pay discounts of 20% to 50% for immediate payment, patients should explicitly ask for self-pay rates and waive insurance submission before scheduling to ensure they receive the lowest possible price.
The facility's cash rate is also notably lower than the Medicare benchmark of $243.77, which serves as the objective baseline for fair pricing in healthcare. Although commercial negotiated rates are often higher than Medicare due to administrative costs and contract structures, the cash price here remains competitive and well below the gross charge of $2,649. To avoid unexpected balance billing or errors, patients should request a full itemized bill before paying, as summary invoices can obscure individual charges. If a patient receives a bill that exceeds the cash price or Medicare rate, they should dispute it in writing with the billing supervisor rather than accepting the amount immediately.