Ultrasound, thyroid and neck
Facility: Kearny County Hospital
Billing Code: 76536 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 76536
- Insurance Median: $716
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.70x 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 $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 670% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 570%). 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 | $632 - $716 | 592% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $632 | 592% |
| Community Care Health Plan Of | $632 | 592% |
| Aetna | $716 | 670% |
| Kansas Solutions | $716 | 670% |
| Wps Gha - Mac J5 Part A | $716 | 670% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 716.0 representing an ultrasound of the thyroid and neck at Kearny County Hospital in Lakin, KS, the facility's negotiated rates range from $632 to $716 depending on the insurance carrier, with a median negotiated amount of $716.00. This facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, and while the data does not provide a specific cash or self-pay price, patients should be aware that cash payments can sometimes result in lower costs than insurance negotiated rates, particularly for those with high-deductible plans. Since the facility is a government-owned Critical Access Hospital, it may offer prompt-pay discounts for upfront cash settlements, which can bypass the administrative costs associated with insurance billing cycles and potentially lower the final amount owed.
The pricing for this service is anchored by a Medicare amount of $106.81, which serves as the benchmark for evaluating the facility's markup. The median paid amount reported is $92.00, and the data indicates a variance of 6.7% compared to Medicare rates. While the specific county or state average for this procedure is not provided in the current dataset, patients are advised to request an itemized bill to ensure no errors, such as code unbundling or charges for services not rendered, are included. If a balance bill arises from out-of-network ancillary services, the No Surprises Act may protect patients from paying the difference between the provider's chargemaster and the insurance allowed amount, so disputing unexpected bills with the insurer is a recommended first step before making any payments.