Blood test, thyroid (TSH)
Facility: Kiowa County Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 84443 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84443
- Insurance Median: $114
- Cash Discount Price: $109
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.79x 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 $16.8 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 679% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 579%). 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 | $44 - $114 | 262% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $103 - $128 | 613% |
| Health Partners Of Ks-All Plans | $113 | 673% |
| Aetna | $114 | 679% |
| Humana | $114 | 679% |
| Celtic Comml Exchange-All Other Plans | $114 | 679% |
| Medica Prime Mcare Cost-All Plans | $114 | 679% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $128 | 762% |
| Providrs Care/Wppa-All Plans | $192 | 1143% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 84443, representing a blood test for thyroid function (TSH), Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg, KS, lists a gross charge of $128.00. This amount is significantly higher than the facility's cash median of $109.00 and the state of Kansas average of $113.00. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, patients with high-deductible plans may find that paying the cash price directly is more cost-effective than using insurance, as the negotiated rates for in-network payers like Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare range from $103.00 to $128.00, often exceeding the cash rate.
It is important to note that commercial insurance rates are frequently inflated by administrative costs and contract structures, often reaching 200% to 300% of the Medicare benchmark rate of $16.80 for this service, whereas fair pricing typically aligns closer to 120% to 150% of that baseline. To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full upfront. Additionally, if you receive a bill from an out-of-network provider at this facility, you may be entitled to protections under the No Surprises Act, which bans balance billing for emergency and non-emergency services, so you should never sign away your rights to dispute unexpected charges without first reviewing the itemized statement.