CMS Price Transparency Data

New patient office visit (30-44 min)

Facility: Mercy Hospital Columbus

Billing Code: 99203 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$107

about 0.9× the $118 Medicare rate · typically $86–$146

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$125

Above the fair price

about $18 over the fair price · 1.1× Medicare

Medicare pays $118 Fair price $107 This hospital $125 Cash price $151 Hospital's list price $233

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other KS hospitals

Highest price of the 9 KS hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $38 Priciest $125

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 KS hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a New patient office visit (30-44 min) is about $107 (about 0.9× the $118 Medicare rate). Mercy Hospital Columbus charges insurers about $125, or about $151 in cash — above the fair price. Located in Columbus, KS.

This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less

Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $107. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

5 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna✓ Humana Kaiser Permanente

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$169 - $221	144%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$125 - $169	106%
Aetnamajor	$169 - $210	144%
Cignamajor	$169	144%
Humanamajor	$98 - $221	83%
Ambetter (Centene)	$169	144%
HealthLink	$210 - $221	179%
Medica	$209	178%
+ 37 smaller / regional plans	$100 - $221

Government programs also on file: Medicare, Medicaid, Military & VA.

Excludes 6 rental-network / third-party entries (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price (about 151), before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the CPT code on your bill matches exactly: 99203.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Mercy Hospital Columbus is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 99203.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at Mercy Hospital Columbus

Compare: New patient office visit (30-44 min) at other KS hospitals

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.