Blood test, potassium
Facility: Kiowa District Hospital
Billing Code: 84132 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84132
- Insurance Median: $37
- Cash Discount Price: $31
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 7.77x 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 $4.76 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 777% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 677%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Healthchoice-All Plans | $7 | 147% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $10 | 210% |
| Tricare | $15 | 315% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $31 - $39 | 651% |
| Health Partners Of Ks-All Plans | $34 | 714% |
| Humana | $35 | 735% |
| Gbs Insurance - All Plans | $37 | 777% |
| Triwest-All Plans | $37 | 777% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $37 | 777% |
| Medicare (plans) | $37 | 777% |
| Aetna | $37 | 777% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $39 | 819% |
| Providers Care (Wppa)-All Plans | $58 | 1218% |
| Liberty Healthshare-All Plans | $63 | 1324% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test for potassium at Kiowa District Hospital, the cash price is $31.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rates of $37.00 paid by most insurance plans. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Kansas, the data does not provide specific county or state average benchmarks for this procedure to compare against. Because commercial insurance contracts often include administrative overheads that can increase the final price by 20% to 40%, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price of $31.00 directly more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially if their deductible has not yet been met. It is always advisable to ask the hospital directly about self-pay or prompt-pay discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can further reduce the final bill.
The Medicare benchmark for this service is $4.76, which serves as a baseline for evaluating the facility's pricing markup. The facility's cash rate of $31.00 is significantly higher than the Medicare amount, reflecting the complexity of the procedure and local cost factors, but it remains below the negotiated rates charged to most commercial payers. Patients should be aware that while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for out-of-network emergency care at in-network facilities, it does not automatically apply to all ancillary lab services, so verifying network status is crucial. To ensure accuracy, consumers should request a full itemized bill containing specific CPT codes to review for any unbundled charges or services not rendered, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through a formal written audit dispute.