Blood test, glucose (blood sugar)
Facility: Ellsworth County Medical Center
Billing Code: 82947 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82947
- Insurance Median: $29
- Cash Discount Price: $32
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 7.38x 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 $3.93 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 738% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 638%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $8 - $9 | 204% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $14 - $16 | 356% |
| Humana | $14 - $32 | 356% |
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $14 - $16 | 356% |
| Triwest -All Plans | $14 - $16 | 356% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $20 - $34 | 509% |
| Aetna | $27 - $31 | 687% |
| First Health - All Plans | $27 - $31 | 687% |
| Cigna | $28 - $32 | 712% |
| Coventry Mcaid-All Plans | $30 - $34 | 763% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid- All Other Plans | $30 - $34 | 763% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $30 - $34 | 763% |
| Providers Care-Wppa-All Plans | $45 - $51 | 1145% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For patients seeking a blood glucose test at Ellsworth County Medical Center in Ellsworth, KS, the cash price is $32.00, which matches the facility's median negotiated rate. This cash price is significantly higher than the national Medicare benchmark of $3.93, indicating a markup of 7.4 times the federal baseline. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a proprietary ownership structure, the negotiated rates range widely among payers, from as low as $8.00 for Blue Cross Blue Shield plans to $51.00 for Providers Care-Wppa-All Plans. Because commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and contract dynamics that inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40%, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price of $32.00 more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially if their plan's allowed amount exceeds this figure.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively contact the billing department to inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% when paid upfront. It is also important to request a full itemized CPT-coded bill rather than accepting a summary invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be disputed in writing. Given that the facility is located in Ellsworth County, the specific county average for this service is not provided in the current data, but the national Medicare benchmark serves as the most reliable objective baseline for evaluating the facility's pricing fairness.