Blood test, urea nitrogen (BUN, kidney)
Facility: Rooks County Health Center
Billing Code: 84520 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84520
- Insurance Median: $46
- Cash Discount Price: $38
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 11.65x 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 $3.95 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 1165% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1065%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Admin - All Plans | $2 | 51% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $8 | 203% |
| Tricare | $24 | 608% |
| Celtic Mcr Adv | $24 | 608% |
| Celtic Comm - All Other Plans | $26 | 658% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $46 | 1165% |
| Preferred Benefits Admin | $46 | 1165% |
| Aetna | $46 | 1165% |
| Preferred Hlthcare - All Other Plans | $49 | 1241% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $49 | 1241% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Plans | $51 | 1291% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood urea nitrogen test at Rooks County Health Center in Plainville, Kansas, the cash price is $38.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rate of $46.00. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by a government hospital district, patients with high-deductible plans might find paying cash directly more cost-effective if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds the cash price. It is important to note that the facility's cash rate is significantly higher than the national average for this procedure, which is $3.95 under Medicare.
Commercial insurance payers in this area have negotiated rates ranging from $24.00 to $51.00, with most major carriers like UnitedHealthcare and Aetna settling at the gross charge of $51.00. Although the facility's negotiated rate of $46.00 is slightly higher than the national average of $46.00, it remains well above the Medicare benchmark of $3.95. To potentially lower your out-of-pocket costs, you should contact the hospital directly to inquire about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% by bypassing administrative claim processing fees.