MRI, knee or other leg joint
Facility: Lindsborg Community Hospital
Billing Code: 73721 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73721
- Insurance Median: $3,584
- Cash Discount Price: $2,742
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 14.70x 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 1470% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1370%). 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 | $1,841 | 755% |
| Coventry Mcr Adv | $1,859 | 763% |
| Cigna | $3,329 | 1366% |
| Coventry Comm-All Other Plans | $3,525 | 1446% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $3,525 | 1446% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $3,643 | 1494% |
| Phcs Preferred-All Plans | $3,643 | 1494% |
| Health Partners -All Plans | $3,721 | 1526% |
| Wppa-All Plans | $3,721 | 1526% |
| Coventry Wc | $3,721 | 1526% |
| Century Health-All Plans | $3,721 | 1526% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this MRI procedure at Lindsborg Community Hospital, the facility's cash price of $2,742 is lower than the median negotiated rate of $3,643 paid by insurance payers. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Kansas, the data provided does not include specific county or state average comparisons for this service code. However, the cash price remains the most transparent benchmark for patients, as it represents the direct cost without insurance administrative markups. Patients with high-deductible plans or those who have already met their out-of-pocket limits may find paying the cash price more advantageous than relying on insurance, which often results in higher allowed amounts due to complex contract structures.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can significantly lower the final bill. It is also important to understand that while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, unexpected charges can still occur if ancillary services like emergency physicians or labs are out-of-network. If a patient receives an itemized bill, they should request a full line-by-line audit to identify any unbundled codes or services not rendered, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected. Comparing the facility's rates to the Medicare benchmark of $243.77 reveals the standard markup, but the most effective strategy for cost control remains securing the lowest available cash or negotiated rate prior to receiving care.