Blood test, calcium
Facility: Morris County Hospital
Billing Code: 82310 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82310
- Insurance Median: $31
- Cash Discount Price: $47
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 6.01x 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 $5.16 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 601% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 501%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $4 | 78% |
| Providrs Care (Wppa)(Nexus)-All Plans | $5 | 97% |
| Aetna | $6 | 116% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $11 - $31 | 213% |
| Choice Care Mcr Adv-All Plans | $31 | 601% |
| Coventry Mcr | $31 | 601% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $31 - $79 | 601% |
| Cigna | $57 | 1105% |
| Coventry Comm-All Other Plans | $71 | 1376% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $71 | 1376% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood calcium test at Morris County Hospital in Council Grove, KS, the facility's cash price of $47.00 is notably higher than the state average of $31.00, though it aligns closely with the median negotiated rate of $31.00 found across commercial payers. While Medicare sets a benchmark of $5.16 for this service, the commercial negotiated rates range from $4 to $79 depending on the insurance plan, with UnitedHealthcare showing the widest variance between $31 and $79. Because commercial rates often include administrative overhead and contract premiums that can inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40%, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price of $47.00 more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially if their specific plan's negotiated rate exceeds this amount.
To secure the best possible price, patients should proactively request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as hospitals often offer fee reductions of 20% to 50% for upfront payments that bypass costly claims processing and administrative labor. It is critical to avoid balance billing by ensuring the facility is in-network and by signing a waiver of insurance submission if paying cash, as the No Surprises Act protects against unexpected out-of-network charges at in-network facilities. Finally, since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, patients should demand a full itemized CPT-coded statement rather than accepting a summary bill, allowing them to verify that charges for services not rendered or unbundled components are corrected before payment.