X-ray, chest (two views)
Facility: Morris County Hospital
Billing Code: 71046 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71046
- Insurance Median: $170
- Cash Discount Price: $261
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.91x 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Providrs Care (Wppa)(Nexus)-All Plans | $43 | 48% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $143 - $170 | 161% |
| Choice Care Mcr Adv-All Plans | $170 | 191% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $170 - $435 | 191% |
| Va Ccn-All Plans | $170 | 191% |
| Coventry Mcr | $170 | 191% |
| Cigna | $315 | 354% |
| Aetna | $390 | 439% |
| Multiplan-All Plans | $392 | 441% |
| Coventry Comm-All Other Plans | $392 | 441% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 71046, representing a chest X-ray with two views, Morris County Hospital in Council Grove, KS, lists a gross charge of $435.00. While the facility's cash median rate is $261.00 and the median negotiated rate across payers is $170.00, the Medicare benchmark for this service is significantly lower at $88.91. This indicates that the facility's negotiated rates are approximately 1.9 times the Medicare amount. It is important to note that while commercial insurance contracts often set a ceiling on what insurers will pay, these negotiated rates can still exceed the cash price, particularly for patients with high-deductible plans who may not have met their out-of-pocket threshold. In such cases, paying the cash rate of $261.00 could result in lower total costs compared to the $170.00 average negotiated rate if the patient's insurance allows for full payment or if the specific payer's allowed amount is higher than the cash price.
Patients should be aware that the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with government-local ownership, and the data reflects pricing for the 2026-06 vintage. Although the provided dataset does not include explicit state or county average comparisons for this specific code, the significant gap between the gross charge and the cash median suggests that self-pay options are available. To maximize savings, consumers are encouraged to contact the hospital directly to inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce bills by 20% to 50% when paid in full upfront. Additionally, since over 80% of hospital bills contain