Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)
Facility: Stafford County Hospital
Billing Code: 93306 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 93306
- Insurance Median: $2,185
- Cash Discount Price: $2,185
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.91x 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 391% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 291%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Health Partners-All Plans | $2,076 | 372% |
| Medica Mcr- All Plans | $2,185 | 391% |
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $2,185 | 391% |
| Humana | $2,185 | 391% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $2,185 | 391% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) at Stafford County Hospital in Stafford, KS, the cash price is $2,185, which matches the facility's negotiated rates with all five major payers listed, including Health Partners, Medica, and Humana. This indicates that for this specific service, there is no financial advantage to using insurance, as the allowed amounts equal the cash price. The facility is a Critical Access Hospital with government-local ownership, and while the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons for this code, the consistency across all payer plans suggests a standardized pricing structure typical for this type of facility.
The Medicare benchmark for this procedure is $558.25, meaning the cash and negotiated rates are approximately 3.9 times higher than the federal baseline. This significant markup is common in commercial billing, where administrative costs and contract dynamics often inflate prices well above the true cost of care. Because the cash price is already the lowest available rate in this dataset, patients with high-deductible plans should not rely on insurance to lower their out-of-pocket costs for this specific service. However, it is always advisable to contact the hospital directly to confirm if "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts are available, as these incentives can sometimes reduce the final bill even when insurance rates appear to match the cash price.