X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: Ashland Health Center
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $210
- Cash Discount Price: $168
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.36x 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 $88.91 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 236% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 136%). 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 | $70 | 79% |
| Compalliance-All Plans | $168 | 189% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas-All Plans | $178 | 200% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $206 | 232% |
| Medica Mcare - All Plans | $210 | 236% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $210 | 236% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv - All Other Plans | $210 | 236% |
| Aetna | $210 | 236% |
| Medicare (plans) | $210 | 236% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $210 | 236% |
| Health Choice-All Plans | $210 | 236% |
| Providers Care (Wppa)-All Plans | $315 | 354% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71046, representing a chest X-ray with two views, the facility's negotiated rates align precisely with the gross charge of $210.00 across all listed payers, including Medicare, Medicaid, and major commercial insurers like UnitedHealthcare and Aetna. This consistency indicates that the facility has not applied a discount to its billing for this specific service, resulting in a median paid amount of $210.00. While the cash median price is lower at $168.00, the data shows no variation in negotiated rates among the 12 payers, meaning patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price of $168.00 directly more cost-effective than relying on insurance, provided they have met their deductible.
The facility's pricing structure for this procedure does not deviate from the Medicare benchmark, which is set at $88.91. Although commercial rates are typically 200% to 300% of Medicare, the uniform $210.00 rate here reflects a specific contract agreement rather than a standard markup. Patients should be aware that while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, this code shows a single, fixed rate for all plans. To potentially reduce costs further, patients are encouraged to contact the facility directly to inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can offer significant fee reductions for upfront payments.