Blood test, hemoglobin
Facility: Jewell County Hospital
Billing Code: 85018 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 85018
- Insurance Median: $31
- Cash Discount Price: $26
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 13.08x 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 $2.37 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 1308% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1208%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rural Carriers - All Plans | $20 - $35 | 844% |
| Aetna | $21 - $37 | 886% |
| Meritain - All Plans | $21 - $37 | 886% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $22 - $39 | 928% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $22 - $39 | 928% |
| Cigna | $22 - $39 | 928% |
| First Health - All Plans | $22 - $39 | 928% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test procedure at Jewell County Hospital in Mankato, KS, the cash price is $26.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rates of $31.00 paid to most major insurers like Aetna, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare. While commercial insurance contracts often result in higher allowed amounts due to administrative overhead and network tiering, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price directly more cost-effective. The facility, a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, lists a cash median of $26.00, which is notably lower than the state average for this service. Patients should explicitly ask the billing department about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts before scheduling, as paying in full upfront can sometimes bypass standard insurance processing fees and reduce the final amount owed.
When reviewing your final bill, it is important to distinguish between the hospital's gross charge of $34.00 and the actual negotiated or cash rates to avoid balance billing surprises. Although the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, unexpected charges can still occur if ancillary services like lab tests are billed separately. If you receive a summary bill, request a full itemized statement to verify that no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through a formal audit. For context, the Medicare benchmark for this code is $2.37, highlighting that commercial negotiated rates are significantly higher than the federal baseline, which serves as the most accurate measure of the true cost of care.