Blood test, hemoglobin
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 85018 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 85018
- Insurance Median: $12
- Cash Discount Price: $13
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.06x 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 506% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 406%). 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 | $4 - $14 | 169% |
| First Health - All Plans | $8 - $10 | 338% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $9 - $10 | 380% |
| Aetna | $9 - $14 | 380% |
| Tricare | $9 - $10 | 380% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $9 - $11 | 380% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $10 | 422% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $10 - $12 | 422% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $11 - $14 | 464% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $11 - $14 | 464% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $11 - $13 | 464% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $12 - $14 | 506% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $18 - $22 | 759% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test service at Cheyenne County Hospital, the cash price is $13.00, which matches the facility's cash median. While the hospital's negotiated rates with insurance payers range from $4.00 to $22.00, the median negotiated amount is $12.00, which is slightly lower than the cash price. This pricing structure suggests that patients with high-deductible plans might find paying cash directly more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the insurer's average allowed amount could exceed the cash rate. It is important to note that while the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Kansas, specific county or state average benchmarks were not provided in this dataset, so comparisons to regional averages are not possible based on the available information.
Patients should be aware that insurance negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and do not reflect the lowest possible price for the service. Although the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, it is still advisable to verify your specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling. Additionally, since the cash price is $13.00, you may be eligible for a prompt-pay discount if you choose to settle the bill in full upfront, which can reduce the total cost by 20% to 50%. If you receive a bill from an insurance company, you have the right to request a detailed, itemized statement to ensure no errors exist, as over 80% of hospital bills contain billing mistakes that can be corrected through a formal written audit.