MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Kiowa County Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $890
- Cash Discount Price: $850
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.65x 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 $243.77 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 365% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 265%). 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 | $526 - $890 | 216% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $801 - $1,000 | 329% |
| Health Partners Of Ks-All Plans | $880 | 361% |
| Celtic Comml Exchange-All Other Plans | $890 | 365% |
| Aetna | $890 | 365% |
| Medica Prime Mcare Cost-All Plans | $890 | 365% |
| Humana | $890 | 365% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $1,000 | 410% |
| Providrs Care/Wppa-All Plans | $1,500 | 615% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of the brain (no contrast) at Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg, Kansas, the facility's cash median price is $850, which is lower than the negotiated rates paid by most major insurers. While commercial payers like Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare negotiate rates ranging from $526 to $1,000, the cash price of $850 represents a potential savings for patients with high-deductible plans or those who can pay upfront. It is important to note that the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, and patients should explicitly ask about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fees can sometimes be lower than the insurance negotiated rates which include administrative overhead.
The facility's pricing structure is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark, which sets the baseline for the "true cost" of this service at $243.77. The commercial negotiated median of $890 reflects a markup typical of the healthcare industry, where rates often average 200% to 300% of the Medicare amount due to contract dynamics and claim processing costs. To ensure you are not overpaying, we recommend requesting an itemized billing audit to verify that no unbundled codes or services not rendered have inflated your total, and comparing your final allowed amount directly to the Medicare rate rather than the hospital's gross chargemaster list.