CT scan, head (with and without contrast)
Facility: Mercy Hospital Columbus
Billing Code: 70470 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70470
- Insurance Median: $2,150
- Cash Discount Price: $1,925
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 12.00x 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 $179.2 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 1200% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1100%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Centivo Contracted [320505] | $30 | 17% |
| Humana | $99 - $2,813 | 55% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $99 - $2,150 | 55% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $152 - $2,458 | 85% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $152 - $2,150 | 85% |
| Medicare (plans) | $167 - $2,236 | 93% |
| Insurance System Inc Contracted [320465] | $1,273 | 710% |
| Health Systems Inc Contracted [320174] | $1,273 | 710% |
| Administrative Payor Contracted [320005] | $1,332 | 743% |
| Globalhealth Contracted [320145] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Dept Of Veteran Affairs Contracted [320106] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Kindful Hospice [20434] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Home State Health Plan Contracted [320187] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Cherokee Nation Health Serv Contracted [320066] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Indian Health Service Contracted [320198] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Provider Partners Health Plans Contracted [320450] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Kindful Hospice Contracted [320434] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Pace Of The Ozarks Contracted [320518] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Halo Hcr Inc Hospice Contracted [320432] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Elara Caring Aspire Hospice [20433] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Novasys Contracted [320285] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Cross Timbers Hospice [20098] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Halo Hcr Inc Hospice [20432] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Aetna | $2,150 - $2,665 | 1200% |
| Mercy Hospice Okc [20252] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Centurion Of Missouri [20459] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Qual Choice Contracted [320325] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Medical Associates Health Contracted [320444] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Cigna | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Mercy Mgd Behavioral Health Contracted [320259] | $2,150 | 1200% |
| Tricare | $2,157 | 1204% |
| Healthscope Contracted [320182] | $2,283 | 1274% |
| Workers Comp [20426] | $2,369 - $2,517 | 1322% |
| United Medical Resources Contracted [320454] | $2,458 - $2,813 | 1372% |
| Medica Contracted [320239] | $2,653 | 1480% |
| Usa Managed Care Org Contracted [320429] | $2,665 | 1487% |
| Federal Medical Center Contracted [320127] | $2,665 | 1487% |
| Preferred Health Plan Contracted [320522] | $2,665 | 1487% |
| First Health Contracted [320128] | $2,665 | 1487% |
| Healthlink Contracted [320179] | $2,665 - $2,813 | 1487% |
| Mercy Benefit Admin Contracted [320251] | $2,665 - $2,813 | 1487% |
| American Healthcare Alliance Contracted [320020] | $2,665 | 1487% |
| Benefit Management Contracted [320052] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Show-Me Health Administrators Contracted [320483] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Ebms Contracted [320493] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| 90 Degree Benefits Contracted [320436] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Edison Health Solutions Contracted [320502] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Auxiant Contracted [320462] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Point C Contracted [320238] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Reflect Health Contracted [320492] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Private Health Care Systems Contracted [320320] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Aither Health Contracted [320449] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Ppo Plus Contracted [320310] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Imagine 360 Contracted [320494] | $2,813 | 1570% |
| Yuzu Health Contracted [320521] | $2,813 | 1570% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CT scan of the head (with and without contrast) at Mercy Hospital Columbus, the facility's cash price is $1,925, which is lower than the median negotiated rate of $2,150 paid by most insurance plans. While many commercial payers, including Humana and UnitedHealthcare, negotiate rates ranging from $99 to over $2,800, the cash price offers a potential savings of up to $225 for patients who pay directly. It is important to note that cash payments can sometimes be cheaper than insurance reimbursement, particularly for patients with high-deductible plans where the insurer's allowed amount may exceed the cash price. Patients should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can bypass the administrative costs associated with insurance billing cycles.
The facility's Medicare benchmarking rate is $179.20, which serves as the objective baseline for evaluating pricing fairness. Commercial negotiated rates often average between 200% and 300% of this Medicare amount, though fair pricing is typically defined as 120% to 150% of the Medicare rate. In this case, the cash price of $1,925 is significantly higher than the Medicare rate, reflecting the complex dynamics of commercial contracts and administrative overhead. Consumers should be aware that balance billing—where a patient is billed for the difference between the provider's full charge and the insurance allowed amount—can occur if services are rendered out-of-network, though the No Surprises Act provides federal protections for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. To avoid unexpected costs, patients should request a