X-ray, lower back
Facility: Rawlins County Health Center
Billing Code: 72110 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72110
- Insurance Median: $539
- Cash Discount Price: $527
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.05x 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 505% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 405%). 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 | $248 | 232% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $539 | 505% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray of the lower back at Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood, Kansas, the cash median price is $527.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rate of $539.00. While the gross chargemaster lists the service at $620.00, patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance may find the cash price more affordable than what their insurance would allow. It is important to note that commercial negotiated rates often exceed cash prices due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics; therefore, patients should explicitly ask the facility about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling to ensure they are receiving the lowest possible rate.
This facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a Medicare benchmark of $106.81, which serves as the objective baseline for evaluating pricing markups. Although the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons for this CPT code, the Medicare rate reveals that the facility's cash price is approximately five times higher than the federal government's cost-based reimbursement. To avoid unexpected costs, patients should request a full itemized bill to verify that no services were double-billed or unbundled, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors. If a balance bill arises from an out-of-network provider, patients should dispute the charge with their insurer rather than paying immediately, as the No Surprises Act protects against such billing for emergency and non-emergency services at in-network facilities.