X-ray, chest (single view)
Facility: F W Huston Medical Center
Billing Code: 71045 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71045
- Insurance Median: $185
- Cash Discount Price: $192
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.08x 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 208% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 108%). 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 | $124 | 139% |
| Aetna | $180 | 202% |
| Humana | $190 | 214% |
| Cigna | $204 | 229% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray, chest (single view) procedure at F W Huston Medical Center in Winchester, KS, the facility's cash price of $192.00 is lower than the median negotiated rate of $185.00 paid by insurers like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Humana. This suggests that for patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance, paying the cash price directly may result in lower out-of-pocket costs compared to using an in-network plan where the insurer pays $157.00 on average. Since this facility is a Critical Access Hospital, patients should explicitly ask about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can further lower the final bill by bypassing the administrative costs associated with insurance claims processing.
When evaluating the cost of this service, it is important to compare rates against the Medicare benchmark rather than the hospital's full chargemaster list. The Medicare amount for this code is $88.91, and the facility's cash price of $192.00 represents a markup of 2.1 times the Medicare rate. While commercial negotiated rates often average 200% to 300% of Medicare, the cash price here is significantly lower than typical commercial markups, offering a more transparent baseline. Consumers should verify their specific plan's deductible status before relying on insurance, as paying the negotiated rate without meeting the deductible could result in higher total costs than paying the cash price outright.