X-ray, chest (single view)
Facility: Fredonia Regional Hospital
Billing Code: 71045 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71045
- Insurance Median: $155
- Cash Discount Price: $172
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.74x 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $85 - $124 | 96% |
| Veterans Programs - All Plans | $88 | 99% |
| Aetna | $88 - $154 | 99% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $88 - $154 | 99% |
| Meritain-All Plans | $154 | 173% |
| Cigna | $154 | 173% |
| Reserve National-All Plans | $154 | 173% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71045, representing a chest X-ray at Fredonia Regional Hospital in Kansas, the cash price is $172.00, which matches the facility's cash median. This rate is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $88.91, reflecting a markup of 1.7 times the federal baseline. While commercial insurance plans like Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna negotiate rates ranging from $85 to $154, these negotiated amounts often exceed the cash price. For patients with high-deductible plans, paying the cash rate of $172.00 upfront may result in lower out-of-pocket costs compared to insurance claims where the negotiated rate could be higher, provided the patient has not yet met their deductible.
To minimize costs, patients should verify if the facility offers self-pay or prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the bill by 20% to 50% for upfront payment. It is also important to request an itemized billing audit before finalizing payment, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be corrected. Since this service is provided at a Critical Access Hospital with government local ownership, patients should confirm their specific plan's allowed amount and ensure they are not subject to unexpected balance billing, especially if any ancillary services are out-of-network.