Ultrasound, thyroid and neck
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 76536 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 76536
- Insurance Median: $770
- Cash Discount Price: $689
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 7.21x 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 721% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 621%). 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 - $810 | 201% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $476 | 446% |
| First Health - All Plans | $567 | 531% |
| Tricare | $583 | 546% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $583 | 546% |
| Aetna | $583 - $770 | 546% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $589 | 551% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $648 | 607% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $729 | 683% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $770 | 721% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $770 | 721% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $786 | 736% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $794 | 743% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $794 | 743% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $794 | 743% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $794 | 743% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $810 | 758% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $810 | 758% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $810 | 758% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $1,215 | 1138% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 76536, "Ultrasound, thyroid and neck," Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis, KS, lists a gross charge of $810.00, which is the highest amount billed in the dataset. While the facility's cash median rate is $689.00, this is still higher than the state average for this procedure. The median negotiated rate across 20 different payers is $770.00, with the lowest allowed amount being $215.00 from UnitedHealthcare. Because commercial insurance rates often include administrative overhead and contract markups, patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance may find paying the cash price of $689.00 more cost-effective than relying on an insurance plan that could result in a higher out-of-pocket balance bill.
It is important to note that while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for emergency care and non-emergency services from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, patients should still verify their specific plan details before scheduling. If you are self-pay, you can often secure a prompt-pay discount by requesting a self-pay classification and paying in full upfront, which bypasses costly claims processing and administrative fees. To ensure you are receiving the most accurate pricing, always ask the hospital for an itemized bill before paying, as summary bills may obscure individual charges or unbundled codes. Comparing the facility's rates to the Medicare benchmark of $106.81 reveals a significant markup, highlighting the importance of negotiating directly with the provider or your insurer to confirm the final amount you will owe.