Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)
Facility: Holton Community Hospital
Billing Code: 93306 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 93306
- Insurance Median: $1,907
- Cash Discount Price: $1,724
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.42x 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 $558.25 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 342% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 242%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $1,218 - $2,298 | 218% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $1,218 - $2,298 | 218% |
| Humana | $1,230 | 220% |
| Kansas Superior Select - All Plans | $1,242 | 222% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $1,517 | 272% |
| Preferred Health Professionals | $1,907 | 342% |
| Preferred Health Freedom | $1,907 | 342% |
| Preferred Health Fn Select - All Other Plans | $1,907 | 342% |
| Wppa Providers - All Plans | $2,183 | 391% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $2,298 | 412% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) at Holton Community Hospital in Holton, KS, the cash price of $1,724 is lower than the facility's gross charge of $2,298, but it remains higher than the state average for this service. While commercial insurance plans like Aetna and UnitedHealthcare negotiate rates ranging from $1,218 to $2,298, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying cash directly more cost-effective if their insurance allowed amount exceeds the cash price. It is important to note that Medicaid/KanCare plans in this facility have a fixed rate of $2,298, which matches the gross charge, whereas other payers such as Humana and Kansas Superior Select have a single negotiated rate of approximately $1,230 to $1,242.
Patients should be aware that commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and can exceed cash prices due to multi-layered billing structures. To minimize costs, individuals should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% when paid upfront. Additionally, if a patient receives a bill from an out-of-network provider or unexpected ancillary services, they may be subject to balance billing; however, the No Surprises Act protects patients from these surprise bills for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. Finally, before paying any invoice, patients should request a full itemized bill to verify that all charges are accurate and that no services were unbundled or rendered incorrectly.