CT scan, head (with contrast)
Facility: Scott County Hospital
Billing Code: 70460 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70460
- Insurance Median: $1,200
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.70x 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 $179.2 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 670% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 570%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $101 - $1,421 | 56% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $480 | 268% |
| Humana | $628 | 350% |
| Wppa | $898 - $1,200 | 501% |
| Aetna | $1,346 | 751% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this CT scan of the head with contrast at Scott County Hospital, the negotiated rates range from $480 to $1,421 depending on your specific insurance plan, with a median negotiated amount of $1,200. While the facility's cash price is not listed, it is important to note that cash-pay options can sometimes be more affordable than insurance rates, particularly for patients with high deductibles where the insurer's allowed amount might exceed the cash price. Since this is a Critical Access Hospital in Scott City, KS, you should proactively ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can significantly lower your out-of-pocket costs.
The facility's pricing is evaluated against the Medicare benchmark, which serves as the objective baseline for healthcare costs. In this case, the Medicare amount for this procedure is $179.20, and the facility's charges are 6.7 times higher than this federal rate. While commercial negotiated rates often average between 200% and 300% of Medicare, the specific rates here vary widely by payer, with UnitedHealthcare plans seeing a range from $101 to $1,421. To ensure you are receiving fair pricing, we recommend requesting a full itemized bill to verify that no services were unbundled or double-charged, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected through a formal audit dispute.