Blood test, calcium
Facility: Stanton County Hospital
Billing Code: 82310 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82310
- Insurance Median: $52
- Cash Discount Price: $40
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 10.08x 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 $5.16 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 1008% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 908%). 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 | $11 - $230 | 213% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv - All Other Plans | $51 - $238 | 988% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid | $52 - $207 | 1008% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood calcium test at Stanton County Hospital, the cash price is $40.00, which matches the facility's cash median. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Johnson, KS, with government-local ownership, the negotiated rates for in-network payers like Blue Cross Blue Shield range from $11 to $230, significantly higher than the cash option. This pricing structure highlights a common scenario where cash-pay can be the most economical choice for patients with high-deductible plans, as the insurance negotiated rate often exceeds the cash price. To minimize costs, patients should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can bypass the administrative overhead and higher negotiated rates associated with insurance billing.
When evaluating the value of this service, it is important to compare rates against the Medicare benchmark rather than the hospital's inflated gross charges. The Medicare amount for this code is $5.16, and the facility's negotiated rates average 10.1 times the Medicare rate, which is well above the fair pricing range of 120% to 150% of Medicare. Patients should avoid accepting summary bills that obscure individual line items, as an itemized audit is the most effective way to identify errors, unbundled codes, or services not rendered. Furthermore, if a patient receives care from an out-of-network provider or encounters unexpected ancillary services, they may face balance billing; however, the No Surprises Act protects patients from these surprise bills for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities, making it essential to verify network status and request written audit disputes for any discrepancies.