CT scan, head (no contrast)
Facility: Stevens County Hospital
Billing Code: 70450 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70450
- Insurance Median: $670
- Cash Discount Price: $770
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.27x 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 627% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 527%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | $285 | 267% |
| Aetna | $293 - $770 | 274% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $456 - $480 | 427% |
| First Health - All Plans | $693 | 649% |
| Wppa - All Plans | $732 | 685% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $770 | 721% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this CT scan of the head (no contrast) at Stevens County Hospital in Hugoton, Kansas, the cash price is $770.00, which matches the facility's gross charge and the median amount paid by Medicaid. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a government-local ownership structure, the negotiated rates vary significantly by insurer, ranging from $285 for Humana up to $770 for Medicaid. It is important to note that cash payments can sometimes be more cost-effective for patients with high-deductible plans if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds the cash price, as seen here where the lowest negotiated rate is $285 but the cash price is $770. Patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling, as in-network rates are not always the lowest possible price available.
To ensure you are not overcharged, we recommend requesting an itemized billing audit to review every line item and confirm that no services were unbundled or billed for when not rendered, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors. Additionally, since this is a non-emergency procedure, the No Surprises Act protects you from balance billing by out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, so you should dispute any unexpected bills immediately rather than paying them out of fear. Finally, ask the hospital directly about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the bill by 20% to 50% if paid upfront, bypassing the administrative costs and delays associated with insurance claims processing.