X-ray, neck (cervical spine)
Facility: Cheyenne County Hospital
Billing Code: 72040 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72040
- Insurance Median: $255
- Cash Discount Price: $228
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.87x 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 287% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 187%). 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 | $158 | 178% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $177 - $268 | 199% |
| First Health - All Plans | $188 | 211% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $193 | 217% |
| Tricare | $193 | 217% |
| Aetna | $193 - $255 | 217% |
| Choice Care - All Plans | $195 | 219% |
| Firstguard - All Plans | $214 | 241% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $241 | 271% |
| Preferred Hc - All Plans | $255 | 287% |
| Cpm - All Plans | $255 | 287% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $260 | 292% |
| Ppo Next - All Plans | $263 | 296% |
| Integrated Hp - All Plans | $263 | 296% |
| Unicare - All Plans | $263 | 296% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $263 | 296% |
| Childrens Mercy - All Plans | $268 | 301% |
| Healthwave Mcaid - All Plans | $268 | 301% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Other Plans | $268 | 301% |
| Providers Care-All Plans | $402 | 452% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this X-ray of the cervical spine at Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis, KS, the facility's cash price of $228 is lower than the median negotiated rate of $255 paid by most insurance plans, including UnitedHealthcare and Aetna. While the gross charge listed is $268, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price directly more affordable than having insurance cover the higher negotiated amount, provided they have not yet met their deductible. It is important to note that commercial rates often include administrative overhead and contract markups that can exceed the actual cost of care, making the cash price a useful benchmark for comparison.
The facility is a Critical Access Hospital in a rural setting, and while specific state or county average pricing data was not provided in this report, the cash rate of $228 serves as a solid baseline for self-pay patients. To minimize costs, patients should explicitly ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full upfront. Additionally, if you receive a bill that includes charges for services not rendered or unbundled components, you have the right to request a formal itemized audit to ensure accuracy before making any payment.