X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: Great Plains Of Sabetha
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $210
- Cash Discount Price: $221
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.36x 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 $88.91 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 236% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 136%). 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 | $115 | 129% |
| Aetna | $116 - $223 | 130% |
| Celtic Comm Exchange-All Other Plans | $144 | 162% |
| Great West Healthcare-All Plans | $188 | 211% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $206 - $221 | 232% |
| Humana | $210 | 236% |
| Century/Wppa/Providers-All Plans | $210 | 236% |
| Cigna | $210 | 236% |
| Multiplan-Phcs-All Plans | $210 | 236% |
| Federated Mutual Ins-All Plans | $212 | 238% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $221 | 249% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $221 | 249% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71046 (X-ray, chest, two views) at Great Plains Of Sabetha, the cash median price is $221.00, which matches the facility's gross charge. This cash rate is significantly lower than the median negotiated rates of $210.00 observed across 12 payers, including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicaid/KanCare. While most commercial plans negotiate rates that hover near the cash price, the data indicates that paying cash upfront can be the most cost-effective option for patients with high-deductible plans, as the insurance allowed amounts often do not exceed the cash rate. Patients should explicitly request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront incentives can further reduce the final bill by bypassing administrative claim processing fees.
The facility's pricing is benchmarked against the Medicare amount of $88.91, showing a markup of 2.4 times the Medicare rate. This aligns with the typical range where commercial rates are 200% to 300% of Medicare, though fair pricing is often defined as 120% to 150% of this baseline. It is important to note that while the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Sabetha, KS, the specific county or state average data for this procedure was not provided in the available records. Consumers should avoid accepting summary bills and instead demand a detailed, itemized statement to verify that no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included, ensuring the final charge reflects the transparent negotiated or cash rate rather than inflated chargemaster lists.