Blood test, glucose (blood sugar)
Facility: Stevens County Hospital
Billing Code: 82947 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82947
- Insurance Median: $25
- Cash Discount Price: $65
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.36x 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 $3.93 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 636% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 536%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $3 - $65 | 76% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $8 - $9 | 204% |
| Humana | $24 | 611% |
| First Health - All Plans | $58 | 1476% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $62 | 1578% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $65 | 1654% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood glucose test at Stevens County Hospital in Hugoton, Kansas, the cash price is $65.00, which matches the facility's gross chargemaster rate. While commercial insurance plans like Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield negotiate lower rates ranging from $3 to $65 depending on the specific plan, these negotiated amounts often exceed the cash price for patients with high-deductible plans. Because insurance billing involves administrative overhead and contract structures that can inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40%, paying cash upfront may result in a lower out-of-pocket cost than using an in-network insurer. Additionally, the facility offers a prompt-pay discount, which can further reduce the bill if settled in full within 30 days, bypassing the costly claims processing cycle that insurance companies utilize.
When evaluating this price against broader benchmarks, the facility's cash rate of $65.00 is significantly higher than the state average for this procedure, which is $25.00, and the median negotiated rate of $42.00. However, the facility's cash price is identical to the Medicare amount of $3.93 when adjusted for the local wage index, indicating that the commercial rates reflect standard markup practices rather than inflated list prices. Patients should verify their deductible status before scheduling, as paying the full negotiated rate without meeting the deductible can be more expensive than the cash price. It is also recommended to request an itemized billing audit to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included in the final invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through formal written disputes.