X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $240
- Cash Discount Price: $215
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.70x 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 $88.91 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 270% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 170%). 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 | $149 | 168% |
| First Health - All Plans | $177 | 199% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $177 - $253 | 199% |
| Aetna | $182 - $240 | 205% |
| Tricare | $182 | 205% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $182 | 205% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $184 | 207% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $202 | 227% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $228 | 256% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $240 | 270% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $240 | 270% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $245 | 276% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $248 | 279% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $248 | 279% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $248 | 279% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $248 | 279% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $253 | 285% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $253 | 285% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $253 | 285% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $380 | 427% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71046, representing a chest X-ray (two views), Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis, KS, lists a gross charge of $253.00. This facility, a Critical Access Hospital, has established negotiated rates ranging from $149 to $253 across 20 different payers, with a median negotiated rate of $240.00. While the facility's cash price of $215.00 is lower than the median negotiated rate, it remains significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $88.91, indicating a markup of 2.7 times the federal rate. Patients with high-deductible plans may find the cash price more advantageous if their insurance negotiated rates exceed $215.00, as paying upfront can bypass administrative fees and potential balance billing.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50%. It is important to verify that signing any consent forms does not inadvertently waive the right to receive these cash discounts or authorize automatic insurance claims submission. Additionally, while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, patients should always review their itemized bill for errors, such as unbundled codes or services not rendered, before making a payment.