MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Great Plains Of Sabetha
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $1,189
- Cash Discount Price: $1,251
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.88x 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 488% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 388%). 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 | $651 | 267% |
| Aetna | $657 - $1,264 | 270% |
| Celtic Comm Exchange-All Other Plans | $813 | 334% |
| Great West Healthcare-All Plans | $1,064 | 436% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $1,164 - $1,251 | 477% |
| Multiplan-Phcs-All Plans | $1,189 | 488% |
| Humana | $1,189 | 488% |
| Century/Wppa/Providers-All Plans | $1,189 | 488% |
| Cigna | $1,189 | 488% |
| Federated Mutual Ins-All Plans | $1,201 | 493% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $1,251 | 513% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $1,251 | 513% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI, brain (no contrast) procedure at Great Plains Of Sabetha, the cash median price is $1,251.00, which matches the facility's gross charge and the highest negotiated rate among payers. This cash price is significantly higher than the state average for this service, as indicated by the Medicare benchmarking data where the facility's rate is 4.9 times the Medicare amount of $243.77. While commercial negotiated rates typically range from 200% to 300% of Medicare, this facility's cash price represents the maximum allowable amount before any insurance negotiation, meaning patients with high-deductible plans might find paying cash directly more cost-effective than relying on insurance, which often incurs administrative overhead and higher allowed amounts.
Patients should be aware that the median negotiated rate across payers is $1,189.00, which is lower than the cash price but still substantially above the Medicare baseline. It is important to verify your specific plan's deductible status before scheduling, as many patients unknowingly pay the full negotiated rate if their deductible has not been met. Additionally, you should explicitly ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full upfront, bypassing the costly insurance claims processing cycle. Always request a detailed, itemized bill before making any payments to ensure there are no errors or unbundled charges, as over 80% of hospital bills contain discrepancies that can be corrected through a formal written audit.