Blood test, ferritin (iron stores)
Facility: Ellsworth County Medical Center
Billing Code: 82728 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82728
- Insurance Median: $59
- Cash Discount Price: $66
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.33x 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 $13.63 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 433% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 333%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Triwest -All Plans | $31 | 227% |
| Humana | $31 - $63 | 227% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $31 | 227% |
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $31 | 227% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $43 - $66 | 315% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $50 - $53 | 367% |
| Aetna | $59 | 433% |
| First Health - All Plans | $59 | 433% |
| Cigna | $63 | 462% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $66 | 484% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid- All Other Plans | $66 | 484% |
| Coventry Mcaid-All Plans | $66 | 484% |
| Providers Care-Wppa-All Plans | $99 | 726% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 82728, representing a blood test for ferritin (iron stores), the cash price at Ellsworth County Medical Center is $66.00. This cash rate is significantly lower than the facility's gross charge of $66.00, which appears to be the maximum allowed for this service across all payers listed. While the facility's cash price matches the gross charge, it is notably higher than the state of Kansas average, which is $33.00. For patients with high-deductible plans, this cash rate may still be more affordable than the negotiated rates charged by insurance carriers, which range from $31.00 to $99.00 depending on the payer. Specifically, payers like Triwest and Healthy Blue Mcr Adv have a low end of $31.00, while UnitedHealthcare and Providers Care-Wppa have high ends reaching $66.00 and $99.00 respectively.
Patients should verify their specific plan details, as the median negotiated rate across all payers is $59.00, which is higher than the cash price of $66.00 for some plans but lower for others. It is important to note that while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, unexpected ancillary charges can still occur if specific lab components are out-of-network. To minimize costs, patients should request a self-pay or prompt-pay discount before scheduling, as paying upfront can sometimes bypass administrative fees and reduce the final bill. Additionally, if a summary bill is received, patients should demand a full itemized audit to identify any