Blood test, potassium
Facility: Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 84132 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84132
- Insurance Median: $14
- Cash Discount Price: $14
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.94x 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 $4.76 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 294% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 194%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | $8 | 168% |
| Tricare | $8 | 168% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $10 - $16 | 210% |
| Aetna | $10 - $14 | 210% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $10 - $16 | 210% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $11 | 231% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $14 | 294% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $15 | 315% |
| Healthy Blue Mcaid - All Plans | $16 | 336% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test for potassium (CPT 84132) at Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital in Wakeeney, KS, the facility's cash median rate is $14.00, which is $1.24 higher than the state average of $12.76. While the facility's negotiated rates for various payers range from $8.00 to $16.00, the cash price remains competitive compared to the gross charge of $16.00. It is important to note that for patients with high-deductible plans, paying the cash price of $14.00 upfront can sometimes be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the negotiated rates for some carriers exceed the cash amount. Patients should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can significantly reduce the final bill by bypassing administrative claim processing fees.
The facility's Medicare benchmarking rate of $4.76 serves as a critical baseline, showing that the cash price of $14.00 represents a markup relative to the federal government's cost-based reimbursement. Although the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, the negotiated rates for commercial payers like Humana and Tricare are set at $8.00, which is lower than the cash price, while others like UnitedHealthcare and Aetna have negotiated ranges extending up to $16.00. Consumers should avoid accepting summary bills and instead request a detailed, itemized statement to ensure no errors or unbundled charges are present, as over 80% of hospital bills contain discrepancies. If a