MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Lindsborg Community Hospital
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $3,907
- Cash Discount Price: $2,989
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 16.03x 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 $243.77 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 1603% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1503%). 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 | $521 | 214% |
| Tricare | $2,007 | 823% |
| Coventry Mcr Adv | $2,027 | 832% |
| Cigna | $3,629 | 1489% |
| Coventry Comm-All Other Plans | $3,843 | 1576% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $3,843 | 1576% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $3,971 | 1629% |
| Phcs Preferred-All Plans | $3,971 | 1629% |
| Health Partners -All Plans | $4,056 | 1664% |
| Century Health-All Plans | $4,056 | 1664% |
| Coventry Wc | $4,056 | 1664% |
| Wppa-All Plans | $4,056 | 1664% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI, brain (no contrast) procedure at Lindsborg Community Hospital, the cash price of $2,989 is lower than the facility's gross charge of $4,270 and the median negotiated rate of $3,971 paid by insurance companies. While the hospital is a Critical Access Hospital in Kansas, the data provided does not include specific county or state average comparisons for this procedure, so no direct regional benchmarking is available. Patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price of $2,989 more cost-effective than using insurance, as the negotiated rates from payers like Cigna ($3,629) and UnitedHealthcare ($3,843) exceed the cash amount. It is important to verify if the facility offers "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can further reduce the final bill if paid in full upfront.
Although the No Surprises Act generally protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, patients should still request an itemized billing audit to ensure no errors or unbundled charges exist, as over 80% of hospital bills contain inaccuracies. The Medicare benchmark for this service is $243.77, which serves as a baseline for evaluating the facility's pricing markup; commercial rates are significantly higher due to administrative costs and contract dynamics. To avoid unexpected costs, patients should confirm their deductible status before scheduling and ensure they do not sign away rights to dispute out-of-network ancillary services, such as emergency physician or lab fees, which could trigger additional charges despite federal protections.