Blood test, potassium
Facility: F W Huston Medical Center
Billing Code: 84132 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84132
- Insurance Median: $29
- Cash Discount Price: $30
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.09x 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 $4.76 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 609% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 509%). 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 | $10 | 210% |
| Aetna | $28 | 588% |
| Humana | $30 | 630% |
| Cigna | $32 | 672% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test for potassium at F W Huston Medical Center in Winchester, KS, the facility's cash and median negotiated rates are both $30.00, which is notably higher than the state average of $30.00 and the county average of $30.00. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by a voluntary non-profit, patients should be aware that cash-paying can sometimes result in lower out-of-pocket costs if your insurance plan has a high deductible or if the negotiated rate exceeds the cash price. It is advisable to contact the hospital directly to inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full upfront, bypassing the administrative costs associated with insurance claims processing.
The Medicare amount for this service is $4.76, and the facility's rates are 6.1% higher than the Medicare benchmark. Because commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and contract dynamics that can inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40% above the true cost of care, it is important to compare these figures against the Medicare rate rather than the hospital's gross chargemaster list. If you receive a bill from an out-of-network provider or encounter unexpected charges, you may be eligible for protections under the No Surprises Act, which bans balance billing for emergency and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. Always request a detailed, itemized bill to verify that no services were unbundled or double-charged, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through a formal written audit dispute.