MRI, knee or other leg joint
Facility: Republic County Hospital
Billing Code: 73721 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73721
- Insurance Median: $1,656
- Cash Discount Price: $1,350
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.79x 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 679% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 579%). 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 | $1,530 | 628% |
| Aetna | $1,620 | 665% |
| Meritain-All Plans | $1,620 | 665% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $1,656 | 679% |
| First Health-All Plans | $1,710 | 701% |
| Midlands Choice-All Plans | $1,710 | 701% |
| Cigna | $1,710 | 701% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this MRI procedure at Republic County Hospital in Belleville, KS, the facility's negotiated rates range from $1,530 to $1,710 across seven major payers, with a median negotiated amount of $1,656. This rate is 6.8% higher than the Medicare benchmark of $243.77, reflecting the standard administrative markup associated with commercial insurance contracts. While the facility's cash price of $1,350 is lower than the negotiated rates, patients with high-deductible plans may find it beneficial to pay the cash price upfront, as the insurance negotiated rate often exceeds the cash price. To maximize savings, patients should explicitly request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% by bypassing costly claims processing and administrative overhead.
It is important to note that this facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, and the data reflects specific pricing for the 2026-06 vintage. The provided figures represent the actual negotiated amounts paid by specific carriers rather than broad state or county averages, meaning direct comparisons to regional pricing benchmarks are not applicable for this specific code. Patients should be aware that while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, unexpected charges can still arise from ancillary services or errors. If a patient receives an itemized bill, they are encouraged to 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 through formal written disputes.