CT scan, head (no contrast)
Facility: Smith County Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 70450 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70450
- 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% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $667 | 624% |
| Midlands Choice-All Plans | $667 | 624% |
| Health Partners Of Ks Ppo-All Plans | $667 | 624% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 70450 (CT scan, head, no contrast) at Smith County Memorial Hospital in Smith Center, KS, the cash price is $703.00, which matches the facility's gross charge and the median cash rate. This amount is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $106.81, reflecting a markup common in commercial pricing where negotiated rates often average 200% to 300% of the Medicare rate. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, patients should be aware that commercial negotiated rates for this service range from $453 to $703 depending on the payer, with Medicaid/KanCare plans negotiating the lowest rate of $492 to $703 across three plans. Because the cash price is lower than the highest negotiated rates found in the data, patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance may find paying out-of-pocket directly to the hospital more cost-effective than relying on insurance, provided they verify the specific allowed amount for their plan.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce bills by 20% to 50% when paid upfront, bypassing the administrative overhead and collection fees associated with insurance billing. It is crucial to request a full 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 to lower the total. Although the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, patients must ensure their specific