CT scan, chest (no contrast)
Facility: Smith County Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 71250 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71250
- Insurance Median: $660
- Cash Discount Price: $703
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.18x 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 $106.81 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 618% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 518%). 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 | $453 | 424% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $492 - $703 | 461% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $632 | 592% |
| Wppa-All Plans | $660 | 618% |
| Health Partners Of Ks Ppo-All Plans | $667 | 624% |
| Midlands Choice-All Plans | $667 | 624% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $667 | 624% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71250 (CT scan, chest, no contrast) at Smith County Memorial Hospital in Smith Center, KS, the cash median price is $703.00, which matches the facility's gross charge. This cash rate is notably higher than the negotiated rates paid by most major payers, including Medicaid/KanCare, Multiplan, and UnitedHealthcare, which all settled at $660.00. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with government-local ownership, patients with high-deductible plans may find the cash price more advantageous if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds this amount, as paying out-of-pocket upfront can sometimes bypass the administrative overhead and higher administrative markups embedded in commercial contracts.
The facility's pricing performance relative to Medicare is a key benchmark for understanding value; the cash price represents a 6.2% increase over the Medicare amount of $106.81. Although the data does not provide explicit county or state average comparisons for this specific procedure, the significant gap between the cash rate and the $660.00 median negotiated rate suggests that commercial contracts are driving the final billed amount. Consumers should be aware that while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, it does not eliminate the difference between a patient's allowed amount and the cash price. To minimize costs, patients should explicitly request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% and avoid the full negotiated rate.