CT scan, head (with and without contrast)
Facility: Lane County Hospital
Billing Code: 70470 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70470
- Insurance Median: $1,100
- Cash Discount Price: $1,100
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.14x 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 $179.2 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 614% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 514%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $990 - $1,100 | 552% |
| Aetna | $990 - $1,045 | 552% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv - All Other Plans | $1,100 | 614% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid | $1,100 | 614% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $1,100 - $1,210 | 614% |
| Wppa Providers-All Plans | $1,650 | 921% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 70470, representing a CT scan of the head with and without contrast, Lane County Hospital in Dighton, KS, lists a cash price of $1,100. This cash rate matches the facility's negotiated median paid amount and the gross charge, indicating no discount is currently applied in the data. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by a Government Hospital District, the cash price of $1,100 is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $179.20, reflecting a markup typical of commercial pricing structures. Patients should be aware that while cash payment may appear expensive compared to the Medicare rate, it can sometimes be more affordable than insurance claims if the patient has a high deductible, as the insurance negotiated rate for this service is also $1,100.
It is important to note that this specific code does not show variation across different payers; UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Medicaid/KanCare, and other plans all have a low and high range of $1,100, meaning the allowed amount is identical to the cash price for this procedure. Because the negotiated rates equal the cash price, there is no immediate financial advantage to using insurance for this specific item, and patients should verify if "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts are available before scheduling. Given that over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, patients should request a full itemized bill to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included. If any balance billing occurs from out-of-network ancillary services, the No Surprises Act provides protections against surprise bills for emergency and non-emergency care at in-network facilities.