Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound)
Facility: Hodgeman County Health Center
Billing Code: 93306 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 93306
- Insurance Median: $1,666
- Cash Discount Price: $1,894
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.98x 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 $558.25 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 298% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 198%). 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 | $1,456 - $1,532 | 261% |
| Triwest - All Plans | $1,515 | 271% |
| Humana | $1,515 | 271% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $1,515 - $2,367 | 271% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $1,515 - $2,249 | 271% |
| Aetna | $1,894 | 339% |
| First Health - All Plans | $2,130 | 382% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $2,249 | 403% |
| Wppa (Provdrscare) - All Plans | $2,249 | 403% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) procedure at Hodgeman County Health Center in Jetmore, Kansas, the facility's negotiated rates range from $1,456 to $2,367 depending on the insurance plan. The lowest negotiated amount is $1,456 for Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, while Medicaid/KanCare plans can result in charges as high as the gross charge of $2,367. These commercial rates are significantly higher than the facility's cash price of $1,894 and the median negotiated rate of $1,666. Because insurance contracts often include administrative overhead and claim processing costs, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price of $1,894 upfront is more cost-effective than relying on insurance, which could result in a higher out-of-pocket balance after deductibles are met.
The facility's pricing is benchmarked against Medicare, which sets a fixed rate of $558.25 for this service. The cash price of $1,894 represents a 300% markup over the Medicare rate, which is consistent with the typical range of 200% to 300% seen in commercial negotiations. To minimize costs, patients should explicitly request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the bill by 20% to 50%. Additionally, since the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount and ask for a full itemized bill to ensure no unexpected balance billing occurs, particularly if any ancillary services are provided out-of-network.