X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: Hodgeman County Health Center
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $187
- Cash Discount Price: $213
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.10x 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 210% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 110%). 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 | $143 - $151 | 161% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $170 - $266 | 191% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $170 - $253 | 191% |
| Humana | $170 | 191% |
| Triwest - All Plans | $170 | 191% |
| Aetna | $213 | 240% |
| First Health - All Plans | $239 | 269% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $253 | 285% |
| Wppa (Provdrscare) - All Plans | $253 | 285% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71046, representing a chest X-ray with two views, Hodgeman County Health Center in Jetmore, KS, has a gross charge of $266.00. While the facility's cash median rate is $213.00 and the median negotiated rate across payers is $187.00, the gross charge is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $88.91, which serves as the objective baseline for fair pricing. Patients with high-deductible plans may find the cash price of $213.00 more affordable than the negotiated rates, which range from $143 to $266 depending on the specific insurance plan. It is important to note that while Medicaid/KanCare plans show a range of $170 to $266, other major payers like Humana, Triwest, and Aetna have fixed negotiated rates of $170, $170, and $213 respectively.
To minimize out-of-pocket costs, patients should proactively ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling the appointment, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the total bill by 20% to 50%. If a patient receives a bill after insurance processing, they should request an itemized audit to verify that no services were double-billed or unbundled, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors. Additionally, under the No Surprises Act, patients are protected from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, so any unexpected charges should be disputed immediately with the insurer rather than paid in full