X-ray, hip
Facility: Clay County Medical Center
Billing Code: 73502 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73502
- Insurance Median: $19
- Cash Discount Price: $143
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.21x 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 | $11 - $253 | 12% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $14 - $253 | 16% |
| Wppa/Providrs Care- All Plans | $18 - $248 | 20% |
| Aetna | $18 - $248 | 20% |
| Health Partners - All Plans | $19 - $253 | 21% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray of the hip at Clay County Medical Center in Clay Center, KS, the cash price is $143.00, which matches the facility's median paid amount. This cash rate is significantly lower than the negotiated rates charged to insurance plans, where amounts range from $11 to $253 across five payers. Because commercial insurance contracts often include administrative overhead and multi-layered pricing structures, the negotiated rates can exceed the cash price, making self-pay a potentially more affordable option for patients with high-deductible plans. To secure the lowest possible cost, patients should explicitly request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can bypass the costly insurance billing cycle and administrative fees that inflate commercial rates.
It is important to understand that Medicare serves as a reliable benchmark for evaluating pricing fairness, as it represents the true cost of care rather than inflated chargemaster lists. For this procedure, the Medicare amount is $88.91, which is lower than the cash price of $143.00, indicating that the facility's cash rate is higher than the federal baseline. While commercial negotiated rates typically average between 200% and 300% of Medicare rates, fair pricing is generally defined as 120% to 150% of this benchmark. Patients should avoid accepting summary bills that obscure individual charges, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes. If a balance bill arises from an out-of-network service, patients should dispute it with their insurer under the No Surprises Act rather than paying immediately, and always demand a full itemized CPT