X-ray, chest (single view)
Facility: Clay County Medical Center
Billing Code: 71045 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71045
- Insurance Median: $15
- Cash Discount Price: $120
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.17x 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Multiplan- All Plans | $9 - $212 | 10% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $11 - $212 | 12% |
| Aetna | $15 - $208 | 17% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $15 - $212 | 17% |
| Wppa/Providrs Care- All Plans | $15 - $208 | 17% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this chest X-ray procedure at Clay County Medical Center in Clay Center, KS, the cash price is $120.00, which matches the facility's median negotiated rate. This cash price is significantly lower than the state average for this service, as indicated by the data showing a variance of 0.2 compared to Medicare benchmarks. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the full cash price upfront more cost-effective than using insurance, particularly if their insurer's negotiated rate exceeds the cash amount. It is important to note that the facility offers a median negotiated rate of $15.00, which is substantially lower than the cash price, suggesting that for those with active insurance coverage, the insurance process might result in a lower out-of-pocket cost than paying cash directly.
Patients should be aware that hospitals often offer prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% if paid in full within a short window, such as 30 days. To secure this discount, it is essential to request self-pay classification and prompt-pay rates before check-in and to sign a waiver of insurance submission to prevent automatic claims processing. Additionally, while the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for emergency care and non-emergency services from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, patients should always request an itemized bill to verify that all charges are accurate and that no unbundled codes or services not rendered have been included. Given that over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, reviewing the detailed line items before payment is a critical step in ensuring the final amount reflects the true cost of care.