MRI, knee or other leg joint
Facility: Rawlins County Health Center
Billing Code: 73721 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73721
- Insurance Median: $1,601
- Cash Discount Price: $1,564
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.57x 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 $243.77 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 657% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 557%). 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 | $526 | 216% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $1,601 | 657% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI procedure of the knee or other leg joint at Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood, Kansas, the cash median price is $1,564.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rate of $1,601.00. While this facility is in-network for UnitedHealthcare, the negotiated rate of $1,601.00 exceeds the cash price, meaning patients with high-deductible plans might save money by paying out-of-pocket if they qualify for a prompt-pay discount. It is important to note that while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, patients should still verify their specific plan details and ask the hospital directly about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts before scheduling to ensure they are not charged the full negotiated amount.
The Medicare benchmark for this service is $243.77, which serves as the objective baseline for evaluating pricing markups. The facility's cash rate of $1,564.00 is significantly higher than the Medicare amount, reflecting the complexity of the procedure and local cost factors. When reviewing your bill, always request a full itemized CPT-coded statement rather than accepting a summary bill, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes. If you receive a bill that appears inflated, you can dispute it in writing to the billing supervisor to ensure you are only paying for services rendered at accurate rates.