X-ray, hip
Facility: Republic County Hospital
Billing Code: 73502 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73502
- Insurance Median: $394
- Cash Discount Price: $321
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.43x 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 $88.91 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 443% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 343%). 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 | $364 | 409% |
| Meritain-All Plans | $385 | 433% |
| Aetna | $385 | 433% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $394 | 443% |
| Midlands Choice-All Plans | $407 | 458% |
| First Health-All Plans | $407 | 458% |
| Cigna | $407 | 458% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this X-ray of the hip at Republic County Hospital in Belleville, KS, the facility's cash price of $321.00 is lower than the median negotiated rate of $385.00 paid by most insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, patients with high-deductible plans might find paying the cash price directly more cost-effective if their insurance allowed amount exceeds this figure. It is important to note that commercial rates often include administrative overhead and contract dynamics that can inflate the baseline price, so comparing the cash option against the negotiated rate reveals a potential savings opportunity for those who qualify.
The Medicare benchmark for this service is $88.91, which serves as a scientifically validated baseline for the true cost of care, significantly lower than both the cash and negotiated rates. Although the data does not provide specific county or state average comparisons for this procedure, the substantial difference between the Medicare rate and the facility's cash price highlights the markup inherent in commercial billing. To ensure you are not overcharged, you should request a full itemized bill before paying, as summary invoices can obscure individual charges. Additionally, if you are self-paying, ask the hospital about prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the bill by 20% to 50% if settled upfront, bypassing the costly claims processing cycle that insurance billing requires.