X-ray, lower back
Facility: Republic County Hospital
Billing Code: 72110 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72110
- Insurance Median: $451
- Cash Discount Price: $366
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.22x 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 $106.81 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 422% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 322%). 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 | $407 - $422 | 381% |
| Aetna | $431 - $447 | 404% |
| Meritain-All Plans | $431 - $447 | 404% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $441 - $457 | 413% |
| Midlands Choice-All Plans | $455 - $472 | 426% |
| First Health-All Plans | $455 - $472 | 426% |
| Cigna | $455 - $472 | 426% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray of the lower back (CPT 72110) at Republic County Hospital in Belleville, KS, the cash median price is $366.00, which is lower than the facility's negotiated rate of $451.00. While the hospital is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, patients should be aware that commercial insurance plans often pay negotiated rates that exceed cash prices. For instance, Rural Carriers-All Plans pay a range of $407 to $422, and Aetna pays between $431 and $447, both of which are higher than the cash median. This dynamic suggests that patients with high-deductible plans might save money by paying the cash price directly, provided they can secure a prompt-pay discount, which is typically 20% to 50% off the billed amount when paid upfront.
When evaluating the cost relative to federal benchmarks, the Medicare amount for this service is $106.81, with the facility's cash rate representing a markup of 4.2 times the Medicare amount. It is important to note that comparing these rates to the hospital's gross charge of $488.00 can be misleading, as chargemasters are inflated to make discounts appear larger; the true baseline for fair pricing is the Medicare rate. Additionally, while the No Surprises Act 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 unbundled codes or services not rendered are included in the final statement. Always verify your deductible status before scheduling, as paying the negotiated rate without meeting