CT scan, head (with and without contrast)
Facility: Hiawatha Community Hospital
Billing Code: 70470 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70470
- Insurance Median: $2,064
- Cash Discount Price: $2,650
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 11.52x 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 $179.2 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 1152% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1052%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $456 - $480 | 254% |
| Aetna | $980 - $2,141 | 547% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $980 - $2,276 | 547% |
| Humana | $990 | 552% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $1,177 | 657% |
| Oscar - All Plans | $1,988 | 1109% |
| Centrus Health Direct - All Plans | $1,988 | 1109% |
| Preferred Hlth - All Plans | $2,385 | 1331% |
| Cigna | $2,518 | 1405% |
| Wppa Providrs Care - All Plans | $2,518 | 1405% |
| Multiplan - All Plans | $2,570 | 1434% |
| Midlands Choice - All Plans | $2,570 | 1434% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Plans | $2,650 | 1479% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CT scan of the head (with and without contrast) at Hiawatha Community Hospital in Hiawatha, KS, the cash price is $2,650, which matches the facility's gross chargemaster rate. While the median negotiated rate for in-network payers is $2,064, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying cash directly cheaper if their insurance allowed amount exceeds the cash price. It is important to note that commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and can be significantly higher than the cash price; therefore, patients should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling to potentially lower the final cost.
This service is priced at 11.5% above the Medicare benchmark of $179.2, which serves as the objective baseline for evaluating hospital pricing markups. Although the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons for this procedure, the facility operates as a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure. Consumers should be aware that while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, it is still advisable to request an itemized bill to verify that all charges are accurate and that no unbundled codes or services not rendered have been included.