Blood test, magnesium
Facility: Hodgeman County Health Center
Billing Code: 83735 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 83735
- Insurance Median: $51
- Cash Discount Price: $58
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 7.61x 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 761% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 661%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $25 - $26 | 373% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $47 - $73 | 701% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $47 - $69 | 701% |
| Triwest - All Plans | $47 | 701% |
| Humana | $47 | 701% |
| Aetna | $58 | 866% |
| First Health - All Plans | $66 | 985% |
| Wppa (Provdrscare) - All Plans | $69 | 1030% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $69 | 1030% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood magnesium test at Hodgeman County Health Center in Jetmore, Kansas, the facility's cash price of $58.00 is notably lower than the negotiated rates charged to most insurance plans, which range from $47.00 to $73.00 depending on the carrier. While the cash rate is higher than the facility's self-pay median of $58.00, it is important to note that commercial insurance plans often pay significantly less than the cash price due to administrative overhead and contract structures; for instance, Medicaid/KanCare plans pay an average of $55.00, and UnitedHealthcare plans pay $51.00 on average. Because commercial negotiated rates frequently exceed cash prices, patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance may find paying out-of-pocket directly to the facility is the most cost-effective option, provided they confirm the "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount status before scheduling.
When evaluating the cost against federal standards, the facility's Medicare benchmark of $6.70 serves as the objective baseline for pricing, revealing that the gross charge of $73.00 represents a substantial markup. The facility's negotiated rates generally align closely with the state average for this procedure, though specific payers like Blue Cross Blue Shield pay a higher average of $25.50 compared to the lower end of the spectrum seen with Triwest or Humana. To ensure you are not overcharged, we recommend requesting a full itemized bill to verify that no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors. If you receive a balance bill from an out-of-network provider