MRI, brain (with and without contrast)
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 70553 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70553
- Insurance Median: $841
- Cash Discount Price: $752
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.36x 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 $356.43 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 236% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 136%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $521 | 146% |
| First Health - All Plans | $620 | 174% |
| Aetna | $637 - $841 | 179% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $637 | 179% |
| Tricare | $637 | 179% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $637 - $885 | 179% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $644 | 181% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $708 | 199% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $796 | 223% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $841 | 236% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $841 | 236% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $858 | 241% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $867 | 243% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $867 | 243% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $867 | 243% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $867 | 243% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $885 | 248% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $885 | 248% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $885 | 248% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $1,328 | 373% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of the brain (with and without contrast) at Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis, KS, the facility's cash median price is $752.00, which is lower than the state average of $797.00. While the gross charge listed is $885.00, commercial insurance payers negotiate rates that generally exceed the cash price; for example, UnitedHealthcare's negotiated range spans from $637 to $885, and Providers Care's single plan negotiates at $1,328. Patients with high-deductible plans might find the cash price more affordable if their insurance negotiated rate is higher than $752.00, but it is crucial to verify your specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling to avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs.
To maximize savings, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce bills by 20% to 50% when paid upfront, bypassing the administrative overhead of insurance claims. Additionally, since the facility is a Critical Access Hospital, the Medicare benchmark for this service is $356.43, providing a clear baseline to evaluate pricing fairness. Commercial rates often range significantly above this federal standard due to contract structures and administrative markups, so comparing your specific negotiated rate against the Medicare amount rather than the hospital's full chargemaster list will reveal the true cost of care. Always request an itemized bill to ensure no errors or unbundled charges are included before finalizing payment.