X-ray, pelvis
Facility: Jewell County Hospital
Billing Code: 72170 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72170
- Insurance Median: $257
- Cash Discount Price: $203
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.41x 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 241% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 141%). 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 | 215% |
| Aetna | $244 | 228% |
| Meritain - All Plans | $244 | 228% |
| Cigna | $257 | 241% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $257 | 241% |
| First Health - All Plans | $257 | 241% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $257 | 241% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray of the pelvis at Jewell County Hospital in Mankato, KS, the negotiated rates for commercial insurance plans range from $230 to $257, with a median of $257 across seven payers. This negotiated amount is significantly higher than the facility's cash price of $203, illustrating how administrative costs and contract structures often inflate the final bill for insured patients. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, patients with high-deductible plans or those who have met their out-of-pocket limits may find paying the cash price directly more cost-effective than relying on insurance, which processes claims with added overhead.
To minimize costs, patients should verify if the hospital offers a "prompt-pay" discount for upfront payment, which can reduce the bill by 20% to 50% by bypassing expensive insurance billing cycles. It is also important to request an itemized billing audit before finalizing payment, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be corrected. Finally, when evaluating the facility's pricing, it is more accurate to compare the rates against the Medicare benchmark of $106.81 for this procedure rather than the hospital's gross charges, as Medicare rates represent the scientifically validated "true cost" of care delivery.