Blood test, urea nitrogen (BUN, kidney)
Facility: Kearny County Hospital
Billing Code: 84520 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84520
- Insurance Median: $60
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 15.19x 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 1519% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1419%). 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 | $60 | 1519% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $60 | 1519% |
| Wps Gha - Mac J5 Part A | $60 | 1519% |
| Humana | $60 | 1519% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test at Kearny County Hospital in Lakin, Kansas, the negotiated rates across all four participating insurance plans are a flat $60.00, matching the facility's median negotiated amount exactly. This price is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $3.95, which serves as the federal baseline for the true cost of this service. While commercial insurance contracts often result in rates that are 200% to 300% of the Medicare rate, patients with high-deductible plans may find it more cost-effective to pay the cash price directly, as the cash rate is frequently lower than the insurance negotiated amount. However, since the cash median is not available in this dataset, patients should contact the hospital directly to inquire about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the final balance by 20% to 50% if paid upfront.
It is important to note that this $60.00 rate represents the contractual ceiling for in-network members and does not reflect the facility's gross chargemaster list price, which is often inflated to make discounts appear larger. If a patient receives this service out-of-network, they could face balance billing for the difference between the full list price and the insurance allowed amount, though the No Surprises Act protects emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities from such surprise bills. To ensure accuracy, patients should request a full itemized bill rather than accepting a summary invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes. Disputing these errors in writing with the billing supervisor is the most effective way to reduce medical debt and verify