Blood test, ferritin (iron stores)
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 82728 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82728
- Insurance Median: $84
- Cash Discount Price: $88
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.16x 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 $13.63 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 616% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 516%). 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 | $12 - $88 | 88% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $53 | 389% |
| First Health - All Plans | $62 | 455% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $64 | 470% |
| Tricare | $64 | 470% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $64 | 470% |
| Aetna | $64 - $84 | 470% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $71 | 521% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $80 | 587% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $84 | 616% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $84 | 616% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $86 | 631% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $87 | 638% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $87 | 638% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $87 | 638% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $87 | 638% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $88 | 646% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $88 | 646% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $88 | 646% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $133 | 976% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test for ferritin (iron stores) at Cheyenne County Hospital, the cash price is $88.00, which matches the facility's negotiated rate and the cash median. This amount is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $13.63, reflecting a markup common in commercial billing. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in St. Francis, KS, with a voluntary non-profit ownership, the cash price is notably lower than the highest negotiated rates observed among payers like Providers Care-All Plans at $133.00. However, for patients with high-deductible plans, paying the cash price of $88.00 upfront may be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as some commercial negotiated rates exceed this amount. Patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status and ask the hospital directly about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling to ensure they are receiving the lowest possible rate.
The data indicates that while many payers have a single, fixed negotiated rate for this service, others like UnitedHealthcare and Aetna show a range of allowed amounts between $12.00 and $88.00. It is important to note that even if a patient is in-network, they may still face balance billing if the provider bills the difference between the negotiated rate and the cash price, though the No Surprises Act generally protects against such surprises for emergency and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. To avoid unexpected costs, patients should request an itemized bill to review every charge and dispute any errors, as over 80% of hospital bills contain inaccuracies. By comparing the facility's rates against the Medicare baseline and