Blood test, thyroid (TSH)
Facility: Satanta District Hospital, Clinics, & Ltcu
Billing Code: 84443 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84443
- Insurance Median: $44
- Cash Discount Price: $55
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.62x 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 $16.8 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 262% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 162%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Benefit-All Plans | $15 | 89% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $18 - $61 | 107% |
| Berkley Net-All Plans | $24 | 143% |
| Meritain Health-All Plans | $27 | 161% |
| Trustmark Health Benefits-All Plans | $27 | 161% |
| Aetna | $27 - $41 | 161% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $29 | 173% |
| Pinnacol-All Plans | $34 | 202% |
| Axa Equitable - All Plans | $34 | 202% |
| Medi-Share-All Plans | $35 | 208% |
| Presbyterian-All Plans | $37 | 220% |
| Kasb Work Comp - All Plans | $39 | 232% |
| The Kempton Group Admin-All Plans | $42 | 250% |
| Gpha(Wppa)-All Other Plans | $43 | 256% |
| Auxiant - All Plans | $43 | 256% |
| Wppa- All Plans | $43 | 256% |
| Providers Care Network- All Plans | $44 | 262% |
| Sisco-All Plans | $44 | 262% |
| Emc-All Plans | $44 | 262% |
| Gpha Employee Benefit Plan | $45 | 268% |
| Employee Benefit-All Plans | $46 | 274% |
| Regional Care(Wppa)-All Plans | $46 | 274% |
| First Health -All Plans | $46 | 274% |
| Triangle-All Plans | $46 | 274% |
| One Call Physician-All Plans | $47 | 280% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $48 | 286% |
| Tricare | $49 | 292% |
| Christian Hospital Aid - All Plans | $49 | 292% |
| Humana | $52 | 310% |
| Luminare Health- All Plans | $54 | 321% |
| Cigna | $54 | 321% |
| Deseret Mutual(Uhis)-All Plans | $55 | 327% |
| Coresource-All Plans | $55 | 327% |
| Vaccn-All Plans | $56 | 333% |
| Reserve National-All Plans | $58 | 345% |
| Wps Vapc-All Plans | $58 | 345% |
| Hma Llc-All Plans | $58 | 345% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $61 | 363% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test, thyroid (TSH) procedure (CPT 84443), the facility's cash median price is $55.00, which is lower than the negotiated rates paid by most insurance plans in this region. While the facility's negotiated rate is $44.00, this figure represents the amount insurers agree to pay, not the final cost to the patient. Many commercial payers, such as UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, negotiate rates ranging from $18 to $61, which often exceed the cash price. For patients with high-deductible plans, paying the cash price of $55.00 upfront can be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the insurer's allowed amount may be higher than the cash rate. Additionally, patients should inquire about prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the cash price by 20% to 50% if paid in full within 30 days, effectively lowering the total cost below the standard cash median.
This service is provided at Satanta District Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in Satanta, Kansas, with a gross charge of $61.00. The facility's cash price of $55.00 is notably higher than the Medicare benchmark of $16.80, indicating a significant markup relative to the federal government's cost-based reimbursement. However, the facility's negotiated rate of $44.00 is lower than the cash price, suggesting that for those with insurance, the negotiated amount may be the primary cost driver rather than the full cash price. It is important to note that while the facility is a government-owned hospital district, patients should still verify their specific plan