X-ray, neck (cervical spine)

For the X-ray of the cervical spine (CPT code 72040) at Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas, the facility's cash median rate is $283.00, which is 1.2 times the Medicare benchmark of $88.91. While many commercial payers negotiate rates significantly higher than the cash price—ranging from $84 to $414 depending on the insurer—patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash rate directly more affordable than facing a negotiated bill that exceeds their deductible. It is important to note that the facility's cash rate is substantially lower than the highest negotiated rates found in the data, such as the $414 rate from Multiplan, highlighting that the cash price can serve as a competitive baseline for self-pay patients.

To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full upfront. Since the facility is an in-network location for most major payers listed, the No Surprises Act generally protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at this acute care hospital, though verifying the specific status of any ancillary services is still recommended. Before scheduling, consumers should confirm their deductible status and request an itemized bill to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through a formal written audit dispute.