Blood test, basic metabolic panel
Facility: Goodland Regional Medical Center
Billing Code: 80048 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 80048
- Insurance Median: $75
- Cash Discount Price: $75
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 8.87x 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 $8.46 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 887% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 787%). 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 | $20 | 236% |
| Wppa | $71 - $75 | 839% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $75 | 887% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test, basic metabolic panel (CPT 80048) at Goodland Regional Medical Center in Goodland, KS, the cash median price is $75.00, which is $8.90 higher than the Medicare benchmark rate of $8.46. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, patients should note that commercial negotiated rates from payers like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Wppa, and UnitedHealthcare range from $71 to $75, aligning closely with the cash price. Because commercial rates often include administrative overhead and contract markups that can push prices 200% to 300% above Medicare, the cash price here represents a competitive baseline. If you have a high-deductible plan, paying the $75.00 cash rate upfront may be more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially since the negotiated rates do not significantly exceed the cash amount and could still leave you responsible for deductibles or copays.
To maximize savings, we recommend asking the hospital directly about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce bills by 20% to 50% when paid in full within 30 days. These discounts bypass the costly insurance claims process, saving the facility administrative fees that often inflate the baseline price by 20%-40%. Additionally, since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, it is wise to request a full itemized statement before paying to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included. While this specific service does not show a significant variance from state or county averages in the provided data, always verify your