Blood test, urea nitrogen (BUN, kidney)
Facility: Stanton County Hospital
Billing Code: 84520 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84520
- Insurance Median: $42
- Cash Discount Price: $34
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 10.63x 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 $3.95 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 1063% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 963%). 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 | $8 - $230 | 203% |
| Healthy Blue Mcr Adv - All Other Plans | $41 - $238 | 1038% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid | $42 - $207 | 1063% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood test procedure at Stanton County Hospital in Johnson, KS, the cash price is $34.00, which matches the facility's median negotiated rate of $42.00. This cash price is significantly lower than the state average for this service, making it a cost-effective option for patients who do not have insurance or have high-deductible plans where the insurance negotiated rate exceeds the cash price. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, patients should verify their specific plan details, as commercial insurance rates for this code range from $8 to $238 across three payers, with the lowest negotiated rate being $42.00.
To ensure you are receiving the most accurate billing, it is important to request an itemized bill rather than accepting a summary invoice that may obscure individual charges or double-billing. Since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, reviewing the line-by-line statement can help identify unbundled codes or services not rendered. Additionally, if you choose to pay out-of-pocket, ask the billing department about prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the total cost by 20% to 50% if settled within 30 days. Always compare your final amount to the Medicare benchmark of $3.95; while commercial rates often exceed this baseline due to administrative costs, the cash price of $34.00 remains well below typical commercial markups and represents a fair value for this service.