Blood test, urea nitrogen (BUN, kidney)
Facility: Ashland Health Center
Billing Code: 84520 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84520
- Insurance Median: $13
- Cash Discount Price: $10
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.29x 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 $3.95 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 329% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 229%). 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 | $4 | 101% |
| Compalliance-All Plans | $10 | 253% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas-All Plans | $11 | 278% |
| Aetna | $13 | 329% |
| Medica Mcare - All Plans | $13 | 329% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $13 | 329% |
| Health Choice-All Plans | $13 | 329% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $13 | 329% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $13 | 329% |
| Medicare (plans) | $13 | 329% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv - All Other Plans | $13 | 329% |
| Providers Care (Wppa)-All Plans | $20 | 506% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test at Ashland Health Center, the negotiated rate of $13.00 is consistent across all 12 insurance plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare. This rate aligns exactly with the facility's median negotiated amount and exceeds the Medicare benchmark of $3.95 by 3.3 times, reflecting the typical administrative markup inherent in commercial contracts. While the cash price is listed at $10.00, which is lower than the insurance rate, patients with high-deductible plans should verify their specific deductible status before assuming insurance will result in higher out-of-pocket costs. It is often more beneficial to pay the cash price directly or request a prompt-pay discount from the facility, as these upfront payments can bypass the administrative overhead and potential deductibles associated with insurance claims.
Ashland Health Center is a Critical Access Hospital in Ashland, Kansas, and the facility is owned by a voluntary non-profit organization. The pricing data provided is based on the 2026-06 vintage and represents the specific contract terms for CPT code 84520. Because the negotiated rate is uniform across all payers, there is no variation in the allowed amount depending on the specific insurance plan. Consumers are advised to request an itemized bill before finalizing payment to ensure no unbundled charges or services not rendered are included, and to explicitly ask for self-pay or prompt-pay discounts prior to scheduling the appointment to avoid unexpected balance billing.