CT scan, chest (no contrast)
Facility: Ashland Health Center
Billing Code: 71250 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71250
- Insurance Median: $667
- Cash Discount Price: $534
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.24x 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 $106.81 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 624% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 524%). 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 | $223 | 209% |
| Compalliance-All Plans | $534 | 500% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas-All Plans | $567 | 531% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $654 | 612% |
| Medicare (plans) | $667 | 624% |
| Aetna | $667 | 624% |
| Medica Mcare - All Plans | $667 | 624% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv - All Other Plans | $667 | 624% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $667 | 624% |
| Health Choice-All Plans | $667 | 624% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $667 | 624% |
| Providers Care (Wppa)-All Plans | $1,000 | 936% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71250 (CT scan, chest, no contrast) at Ashland Health Center in Ashland, KS, the facility's negotiated rates for most major payers align exactly with the gross chargemaster price of $667.00, indicating no contractual discounts were applied for these specific insurance plans. This contrasts with the cash median price of $534.00, which is lower than the negotiated amounts. While patients with high-deductible plans might find the cash price more favorable if their insurance allows them to pay the full negotiated rate, it is important to note that many commercial payers in this dataset are billing at the full gross amount, meaning the cash option could result in significant savings. Patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling, as assuming that being in-network guarantees the lowest possible price can lead to paying significantly more than necessary.
The facility's pricing for this service is notably higher than the Medicare benchmark of $106.81, reflecting a substantial markup typical of commercial billing structures where administrative costs and contract dynamics inflate the baseline price. Although the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, the lack of negotiated discounts for most commercial payers suggests that the administrative load and lack of network tiering benefits are driving the cost up. To minimize expenses, patients should proactively request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount prior to check-in, as hospitals often offer fee reductions of 20% to 50% for upfront payment that bypasses the costly insurance claims cycle. Additionally, since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, receiving a detailed, itemized statement is crucial to