Blood test, average blood sugar (A1c)
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 83036 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 83036
- Insurance Median: $52
- Cash Discount Price: $56
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.36x 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 $9.71 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 536% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 436%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $5 - $58 | 51% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $36 | 371% |
| First Health - All Plans | $37 - $40 | 381% |
| Tricare | $38 - $42 | 391% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $38 - $42 | 391% |
| Aetna | $38 - $55 | 391% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $39 - $42 | 402% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $43 - $46 | 443% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $48 - $52 | 494% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $51 - $55 | 525% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $51 - $55 | 525% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $52 - $57 | 536% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $52 - $56 | 536% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $52 - $57 | 536% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $52 - $57 | 536% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $52 - $57 | 536% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $53 - $58 | 546% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $53 - $58 | 546% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $53 - $58 | 546% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $80 - $87 | 824% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For CPT code 83036, a blood test for average blood sugar (A1c), Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis, KS, lists a cash price of $56.00. This cash rate is identical to the facility's median negotiated rate of $52.00, which is slightly higher than the median negotiated rate of $51.00 observed across the broader payer landscape. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, patients should be aware that commercial insurance contracts often result in higher allowable amounts than cash prices due to administrative overhead and multi-layered billing structures. For individuals with high-deductible plans, paying the cash price of $56.00 upfront may be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, which could result in a negotiated rate exceeding the cash amount before deductibles are met.
The Medicare benchmark for this service is $9.71, indicating that the facility's cash price represents a significant markup relative to the federal baseline. Although the facility's cash rate is higher than the Medicare amount, it remains within the range of commercial negotiated rates, which typically average between 200% and 300% of Medicare. To minimize costs, patients should explicitly request an itemized billing audit before finalizing payment, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as unbundled codes or services not rendered. Additionally, inquiring about prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce bills by 20% to 50%, is recommended before scheduling, as these discounts bypass the costly insurance claims process and provide immediate liquidity to the facility.