Blood test, magnesium
Facility: Republic County Hospital
Billing Code: 83735 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 83735
- Insurance Median: $41
- Cash Discount Price: $34
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.12x 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 $6.7 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 612% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 512%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rural Carriers-All Plans | $38 | 567% |
| Aetna | $40 | 597% |
| Meritain-All Plans | $40 | 597% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $41 | 612% |
| Cigna | $43 | 642% |
| Midlands Choice-All Plans | $43 | 642% |
| First Health-All Plans | $43 | 642% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 83735, representing a blood test for magnesium, Republic County Hospital in Belleville, KS, has a gross charge of $45.00. While the facility's cash median price is $34.00, which is lower than the state average, the negotiated rates for in-network payers range from $38.00 to $43.00. This indicates that for patients with high-deductible plans, paying the cash price of $34.00 upfront could be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the negotiated rates often exceed the cash rate. Patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status and ask the hospital directly about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can significantly reduce the final amount owed.
It is important to distinguish between the facility's gross charges and the actual amounts paid by insurance. The Medicare benchmark for this service is $6.70, which serves as a baseline for fair pricing, while the commercial negotiated median is $41.00. This highlights that commercial rates are often substantially higher than the federal cost baseline due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics. If a patient receives an itemized bill that includes unexpected charges or uses a summary bill that obscures individual line items, they should request a full, CPT-coded audit to identify errors or unbundled codes. Disputing these errors in writing is the most effective way to ensure the patient is only responsible for the correct, transparent cost of care.