Blood test, ferritin (iron stores)
Facility: Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center
Billing Code: 82728 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82728
- Insurance Median: $42
- Cash Discount Price: $99
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.08x 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 $13.63 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 308% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 208%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid / KanCare | $14 | 103% |
| Tricare | $41 | 301% |
| Va_Ccn | $42 | 308% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $42 - $59 | 308% |
| Medicare (plans) | $42 | 308% |
| Medadv_Allwell | $42 | 308% |
| Humana | $42 | 308% |
| Medadv_Uhc | $42 | 308% |
| Aetna | $42 | 308% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $44 | 323% |
| Wppa_Providrscare | $109 | 800% |
| United | $109 | 800% |
| Hpk | $125 | 917% |
| Cigna | $125 | 917% |
| Coventry | $125 | 917% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test for ferritin (iron stores) at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, Kansas, the facility's cash price of $99.00 is notably higher than the state average of $89.00. While commercial insurance negotiated rates generally cap payments at $42.00 to $125.00 depending on the plan, these figures often exceed the cash price for patients with high-deductible plans who have not yet met their coverage thresholds. Because commercial contracts include administrative overhead that can inflate prices by 20% to 40%, paying cash directly can sometimes result in a lower out-of-pocket cost than using insurance, provided the patient understands their deductible status and the specific negotiated ceiling for their carrier.
This facility, a Critical Access Hospital owned by the local government, bills Medicare at $13.63, which serves as a reliable benchmark for fair pricing; commercial rates are typically 200% to 300% of this amount, whereas fair pricing is often defined as 120% to 150%. To minimize costs, patients should explicitly request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as hospitals frequently offer fee reductions of 20% to 50% for upfront payment that bypasses costly claims processing. Additionally, since over 80% of hospital bills contain errors, consumers are advised to demand a full itemized CPT-coded statement rather than accepting a summary bill, ensuring that no charges for services not rendered or unbundled components are included in the final invoice.