MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Grisell Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $764
- Cash Discount Price: $832
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.13x 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 313% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 213%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $495 | 203% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $652 - $876 | 267% |
| Humana | $876 | 359% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $876 | 359% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI, brain (no contrast) procedure at Grisell Memorial Hospital in Ransom, KS, the facility's cash median price of $832.00 is lower than the negotiated rates paid by major insurers like UnitedHealthcare ($652–$876) and Humana ($876). While commercial insurance contracts often result in higher allowed amounts due to administrative overhead, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price directly more cost-effective if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds this amount. It is important to note that this facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by a Government Hospital District, and patients should explicitly ask about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling to ensure they are not billed the full chargemaster rate.
The facility's cash price of $832.00 is also notably higher than the Medicare benchmark of $243.77, which serves as the objective baseline for fair pricing in this region. Although the data does not provide specific state or county average comparisons for this specific code, the significant markup over the Medicare rate highlights how commercial negotiated rates can vary widely. To avoid unexpected costs, patients should request an itemized billing audit to verify that all charges are accurate and that no services were unbundled or double-billed, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors. If a balance bill arises from an out-of-network ancillary service, patients have the right to dispute the amount under the No Surprises Act rather than paying immediately out of fear of credit damage.