Ultrasound, thyroid and neck
Facility: Great Plains Of Sabetha
Billing Code: 76536 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 76536
- Insurance Median: $682
- Cash Discount Price: $718
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.39x 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 639% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 539%). 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 | $373 | 349% |
| Aetna | $377 - $725 | 353% |
| Celtic Comm Exchange-All Other Plans | $467 | 437% |
| Great West Healthcare-All Plans | $610 | 571% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $668 - $718 | 625% |
| Century/Wppa/Providers-All Plans | $682 | 639% |
| Humana | $682 | 639% |
| Multiplan-Phcs-All Plans | $682 | 639% |
| Cigna | $682 | 639% |
| Federated Mutual Ins-All Plans | $689 | 645% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $718 | 672% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $718 | 672% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the ultrasound of the thyroid and neck performed at Great Plains of Sabetha in Sabetha, Kansas, the cash price is $718.00, which matches the facility's gross charge and the Medicare benchmark of $106.81. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, the negotiated rates for commercial payers range from $373 to $718, with a median negotiated amount of $682.00. This indicates that for patients with high-deductible plans, paying the full cash price of $718.00 may be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the negotiated rates often exceed the cash price due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics. Patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status before scheduling, as paying out-of-pocket can sometimes result in lower out-of-pocket costs if the insurance allowed amount is higher than the cash rate.
To minimize potential costs, patients should proactively ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% for upfront payments. It is also important to request a detailed, itemized bill rather than accepting a summary invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be disputed. While the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons for this procedure, the facility's cash price aligns with its gross charge, suggesting no immediate discount is available without negotiating directly with the billing team. Consumers are encouraged to contact the hospital prior to check-in to confirm the self-pay classification and ensure no automatic claims submission