Blood test, sodium
Facility: Rawlins County Health Center
Billing Code: 84295 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84295
- Insurance Median: $21
- Cash Discount Price: $23
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.37x 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 $4.81 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 437% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 337%). 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 | $10 | 208% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $21 - $26 | 437% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test for sodium at Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood, Kansas, the cash price is $23.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rates of $21.00 and the Medicare benchmark of $4.81. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, patients should be aware that commercial insurance plans often pay significantly more than the cash price due to administrative costs and contract dynamics. Specifically, the negotiated rates for UnitedHealthcare range from $21.00 to $26.00, which exceeds the cash rate. If you have a high-deductible plan or have not yet met your deductible, paying the cash price of $23.00 upfront may result in immediate savings compared to having your insurance process a claim that could exceed this amount.
To ensure you are not overcharged, it is important to understand that hospitals often issue summary bills that obscure individual line items, making it difficult to spot errors or unbundled charges. Before finalizing payment, request a full itemized bill to verify that all services rendered are accurately coded and that no charges exist for items not delivered. Additionally, if you are receiving care from an out-of-network provider or if ancillary services like emergency physicians are involved, you may be subject to balance billing, though the No Surprises Act provides federal protections against surprise bills for emergency and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. Finally, do not hesitate to ask the billing department about prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the total cost by 20% to 50% if paid in full within a short window, effectively bypassing the higher administrative fees associated with insurance