X-ray, hip
Facility: Stafford County Hospital
Billing Code: 73502 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73502
- Insurance Median: $245
- Cash Discount Price: $253
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.76x 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 276% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 176%). 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 | $204 - $276 | 229% |
| Humana | $215 - $290 | 242% |
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $215 - $290 | 242% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $215 - $290 | 242% |
| Medica Mcr- All Plans | $215 - $290 | 242% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this X-ray of the hip at Stafford County Hospital, the cash price is $253.00, which matches the facility's median negotiated rate of $245.00 and the cash median. This service is priced at 2.8 times the Medicare benchmark of $88.91. While commercial insurance plans like Health Partners, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare have negotiated rates ranging from $215 to $290, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying cash directly more cost-effective if their insurance allowed amount exceeds the cash price. Because the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Stafford, KS, and is government-owned, it is important to verify if specific self-pay or prompt-pay discounts are available before scheduling, as these upfront incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50%.
Patients should be aware that commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead, which can inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40% compared to the true cost of care represented by Medicare benchmarks. If you receive a bill that appears higher than expected, it is crucial to request a full itemized billing audit rather than accepting a summary invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes. If you encounter a balance bill from an out-of-network provider at this in-network facility, you may be protected under the No Surprises Act, which bans balance billing for emergency and non-emergency services; in such cases, you should dispute the bill in writing with the insurer rather than paying immediately to avoid unexpected costs.