X-ray, ankle
Facility: Jewell County Hospital
Billing Code: 73610 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73610
- Insurance Median: $257
- Cash Discount Price: $203
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.89x 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 $88.91 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 289% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 189%). 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 | $230 | 259% |
| Meritain - All Plans | $244 | 274% |
| Aetna | $244 | 274% |
| Cigna | $257 | 289% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $257 | 289% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $257 | 289% |
| First Health - All Plans | $257 | 289% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray, ankle procedure (CPT 73610) at Jewell County Hospital in Mankato, KS, the facility's negotiated rates range from $230 to $257 depending on the insurance carrier, with a median paid amount of $257. This negotiated rate is significantly higher than the cash price of $203, which may represent a better option for patients with high-deductible plans or those who can pay upfront. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with government local ownership, the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons for this specific procedure, so patients should verify local pricing trends directly with the hospital or their insurer.
Patients should be aware that commercial insurance rates often include administrative overhead and do not reflect the true cost of care, which is better represented by the Medicare benchmark of $88.91. Although the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, it is crucial to request a full itemized bill before paying to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included. Additionally, since the cash price is lower than the negotiated rate, patients should explicitly ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payments can bypass the higher administrative costs associated with insurance claims processing.