Blood test, magnesium
Facility: Great Plains Of Sabetha
Billing Code: 83735 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 83735
- Insurance Median: $38
- Cash Discount Price: $40
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.67x 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 $6.7 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 567% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 467%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Celtic Mcr Adv | $21 | 313% |
| Aetna | $21 - $40 | 313% |
| Celtic Comm Exchange-All Other Plans | $26 | 388% |
| Great West Healthcare-All Plans | $34 | 507% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $37 - $40 | 552% |
| Federated Mutual Ins-All Plans | $38 | 567% |
| Cigna | $38 | 567% |
| Century/Wppa/Providers-All Plans | $38 | 567% |
| Humana | $38 | 567% |
| Multiplan-Phcs-All Plans | $38 | 567% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $40 | 597% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $40 | 597% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test for magnesium at Great Plains Of Sabetha, the cash price is $40.00, which matches the facility's gross charge and is significantly lower than the average negotiated rates paid by insurance companies. While the median negotiated rate across 12 payers is $38.00, several major insurers like Aetna and UnitedHealthcare have allowed amounts ranging from $21.00 to $40.00, meaning patients with high-deductible plans might find paying cash upfront to be the most cost-effective option. It is important to note that while the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Kansas, the cash price remains the same as the gross charge, suggesting no automatic self-pay discounts are applied at the point of service without explicit inquiry.
When comparing this service to broader benchmarks, the cash price of $40.00 is notably higher than the state average for this procedure, which is $34.00, and also exceeds the Medicare benchmark of $6.70. This discrepancy highlights the importance of understanding that commercial rates often include administrative overhead and contract markups that do not reflect the true cost of care. To minimize potential balance billing or unexpected charges, patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling, as some insurers may pay less than the cash price. Additionally, if a patient receives an itemized bill, they should request a full breakdown to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through a formal audit.