X-ray, lower back
Facility: Greenwood County Hospital
Billing Code: 72110 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72110
- Insurance Median: $259
- Cash Discount Price: $246
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.42x 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 242% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 142%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Triwest - All Plans | $110 | 103% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $129 - $258 | 121% |
| Tricare | $129 | 121% |
| Choicecare Mcr Adv - All Plans | $129 | 121% |
| Integrated Health Plan - All Plans | $230 | 215% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $233 - $246 | 218% |
| Beech Street - All Plans | $261 | 244% |
| First Health - All Other Plans | $261 | 244% |
| First Health Ccn Network | $261 | 244% |
| Preferred Hs (Coventry) - All Plans | $276 | 258% |
| Principal Health Care Inc - All Plans | $292 | 273% |
| Amerigroup Mcaid-All Plans | $307 | 287% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $307 | 287% |
| Providrs Care/Wppa - All Plans | $460 | 431% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 72110 (X-ray, lower back) at Greenwood County Hospital in Eureka, KS, the cash median price is $246.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rates for most payers. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with government local ownership, patients should be aware that commercial insurance contracts often result in higher out-of-pocket costs. For instance, UnitedHealthcare and Tricare have negotiated rates starting at $129, but other plans like Blue Cross Blue Shield and Medicaid/KanCare have rates of $230 to $292, which exceed the cash price. This highlights a scenario where paying cash directly might be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially for those with high-deductible plans where the insurer's allowed amount could still surpass the cash rate.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% by bypassing administrative claim processing fees. It is also important to request a full itemized billing audit rather than accepting a summary bill, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as unbundled codes or services not rendered. While the data does not provide specific state or county average comparisons for this procedure, understanding that Medicare benchmarks serve as a scientifically validated baseline for "true cost" helps patients evaluate if the facility's pricing is reasonable. Always verify your deductible status and ensure you sign a waiver of insurance submission if you choose to pay cash upfront to avoid automatic claims that could void your discount.