CT scan, head (no contrast)
Facility: Ellsworth County Medical Center
Billing Code: 70450 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70450
- Insurance Median: $891
- Cash Discount Price: $990
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 8.34x 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 $106.81 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 834% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 734%). 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 | $430 - $453 | 403% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv | $465 | 435% |
| Humana | $465 - $940 | 435% |
| Triwest -All Plans | $465 | 435% |
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $465 | 435% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $644 - $990 | 603% |
| First Health - All Plans | $891 | 834% |
| Aetna | $891 | 834% |
| Cigna | $940 | 880% |
| Coventry Mcaid-All Plans | $990 | 927% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid- All Other Plans | $990 | 927% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $990 | 927% |
| Providers Care-Wppa-All Plans | $1,485 | 1390% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
This CT scan of the head (no contrast) at Ellsworth County Medical Center carries a cash price of $990, which matches the facility's negotiated rate for Medicaid and several other payers. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Ellsworth, Kansas, the data does not provide specific county or state average rates for comparison. However, the cash price is significantly higher than the national Medicare benchmark of $106.81, reflecting the standard administrative markup inherent in commercial billing. For patients with high-deductible plans, paying the full cash price of $990 upfront may be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the negotiated rates for many commercial payers range from $430 to $1,485, meaning the patient could face substantial out-of-pocket costs if their deductible is not yet met.
Patients should proactively contact the hospital to confirm if "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts are available, as these programs can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% for upfront payment. It is also important to request a detailed, itemized 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. If a balance bill arises from an out-of-network service, the No Surprises Act generally protects patients from paying the difference between the facility's chargemaster and the insurance allowed amount for emergency or non-emergency care at an in-network facility. Always verify your specific plan's deductible status and network tier before scheduling to avoid unexpected financial liability.