CT scan, sinuses
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 70486 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70486
- Insurance Median: $732
- Cash Discount Price: $655
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.85x 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 685% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 585%). 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 | $215 - $770 | 201% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $453 | 424% |
| First Health - All Plans | $539 | 505% |
| Tricare | $554 | 519% |
| Aetna | $554 - $732 | 519% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $554 | 519% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $560 | 524% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $616 | 577% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $693 | 649% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $732 | 685% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $732 | 685% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $747 | 699% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $755 | 707% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $755 | 707% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $755 | 707% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $755 | 707% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $770 | 721% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $770 | 721% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $770 | 721% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $1,155 | 1081% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this CT scan of the sinuses at Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis, KS, the facility's cash price of $655 is lower than the median negotiated rate of $732 paid by most insurance plans, including UnitedHealthcare and Aetna. While the gross charge listed is $770, patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance may find paying cash upfront more cost-effective, as the cash price avoids the administrative markup inherent in insurance billing cycles. It is important to note that the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, and while the data does not provide a specific county or state average for comparison, the cash rate remains a significant discount compared to the standard negotiated fees charged by the 20 payers listed, ranging from $453 to $1,155.
To maximize savings, patients should explicitly request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount before scheduling their appointment, as billing systems often default to insurance processing once a card is on file. If you have insurance, be aware that while the hospital is in-network for many carriers, the No Surprises Act protects you from balance billing for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities; however, you should still verify your specific plan's allowed amount to ensure you are not liable for unexpected differences. Since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, do not accept a summary bill as final; instead, request a detailed itemized statement showing every CPT code and unit cost to identify any unbundled charges or services not rendered before making any payment.