CT scan, head (no contrast)
Facility: Kiowa District Hospital
Billing Code: 70450 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70450
- Insurance Median: $816
- Cash Discount Price: $691
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 7.64x 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 764% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 664%). 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 | $280 | 262% |
| Tricare | $337 | 316% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $453 | 424% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $691 - $864 | 647% |
| Health Partners Of Ks-All Plans | $760 | 712% |
| Humana | $780 | 730% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $812 | 760% |
| Gbs Insurance - All Plans | $812 | 760% |
| Aetna | $821 | 769% |
| Medicare (plans) | $821 | 769% |
| Triwest-All Plans | $821 | 769% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $864 | 809% |
| Providers Care (Wppa)-All Plans | $1,296 | 1213% |
| Liberty Healthshare-All Plans | $1,395 | 1306% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 70450, representing a CT scan of the head without contrast, the facility's cash price of $691.00 is notably lower than the median negotiated rate of $812.00 and the gross charge of $864.00. While the cash price aligns with the lowest negotiated rates found among payers like Healthchoice and Tricare, other commercial plans such as UnitedHealthcare and Humana negotiate rates ranging from $691 to $864, which are significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $106.81. This substantial markup highlights that commercial insurance contracts often include administrative overhead and network tiering that inflate the final cost for patients, whereas paying cash directly can sometimes result in a lower out-of-pocket expense, particularly for those with high-deductible plans who may not yet have met their coverage thresholds.
Patients should be aware that the facility, Kiowa District Hospital, is a Critical Access Hospital in Kansas with a government ownership structure, and the data reflects a vintage of June 2026. Although specific county or state average comparisons are not provided in this dataset, the wide variance in negotiated rates across the 14 payers listed—from $280 to $1,395—underscores the importance of verifying your specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling. To minimize costs, individuals are encouraged to inquire directly with the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if settled upfront. Additionally, since the No Surprises Act prohibits balance billing for emergency care and non-emergency services at in