X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: Community Memorial Healthcare, Inc.
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $77
- Cash Discount Price: $117
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.87x 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $38 - $233 | 43% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $48 - $177 | 54% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $151 | 170% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71046, representing a chest X-ray (two views), Community Memorial Healthcare, Inc. in Marysville, KS, lists a cash price of $117.00, which matches the facility's cash median. This cash rate is notably lower than the facility's negotiated rates, which range from $77.00 to $233.00 depending on the payer, with UnitedHealthcare and Aetna showing the widest variance. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership structure, patients should be aware that commercial negotiated rates often exceed cash prices due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics. If you have a high-deductible plan, paying the $117.00 cash price upfront might be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially if your deductible has not yet been met or if the insurer's allowed amount is lower than the cash rate.
To ensure you are receiving fair pricing, it is important to compare these rates against the Medicare benchmark of $88.91, which serves as the objective baseline for healthcare costs in this region. The facility's cash rate of $117.00 represents a markup of approximately 30% over the Medicare amount, falling within the range often considered fair for commercial pricing. Additionally, patients should proactively inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can further reduce the final bill by bypassing the costly insurance claims processing cycle. Since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, we recommend requesting a detailed, itemized statement before payment to verify that all charges are accurate and that no services were unbundled or double-billed