CT scan, head (with and without contrast)
Facility: Morris County Hospital
Billing Code: 70470 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70470
- Insurance Median: $1,047
- Cash Discount Price: $1,610
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.84x 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 584% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 484%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Providrs Care (Wppa)(Nexus)-All Plans | $251 | 140% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $456 - $1,047 | 254% |
| Choice Care Mcr Adv-All Plans | $1,047 | 584% |
| Coventry Mcr | $1,047 | 584% |
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $1,047 | 584% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $1,047 - $2,684 | 584% |
| Cigna | $1,942 | 1084% |
| Aetna | $2,405 | 1342% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $2,416 | 1348% |
| Coventry Comm-All Other Plans | $2,416 | 1348% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For a CT scan of the head at Morris County Hospital in Council Grove, Kansas, the facility's cash median price is $1,610, while the median negotiated rate across ten payers is $1,047. This service is billed under CPT code 70470, and the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government. It is important to note that while insurance negotiated rates often appear lower than cash prices, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash median of $1,610 upfront to be more financially advantageous if their insurance allowed amount exceeds this figure. Additionally, patients should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% by bypassing costly insurance claims processing.
The Medicare benchmark for this procedure is $179.20, which serves as the objective baseline for evaluating pricing markups. The facility's cash rate of $1,610 is significantly higher than the Medicare amount, reflecting the standard administrative and service costs associated with commercial billing. While the data does not provide specific state or county average comparisons for this specific code, patients should be aware that commercial negotiated rates often include administrative overhead that can inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40% compared to the true cost of care. To ensure transparency, consumers should request a full itemized bill before paying, as summary bills often obscure individual charges, and should verify their deductible status to avoid unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.