Blood test, magnesium
Facility: Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 83735 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 83735
- Insurance Median: $57
- Cash Discount Price: $105
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 8.51x 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 $6.7 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 851% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 751%). 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 | $18 | 269% |
| Humana | $52 | 776% |
| Tricare | $52 | 776% |
| Medicare (plans) | $53 | 791% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $57 | 851% |
| Coventry - All Other Plans | $94 | 1403% |
| Preferred Healthcare-All Plans | $99 | 1478% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas - All Plans | $99 | 1478% |
| Wppa/Providers Care-All Plans | $146 | 2179% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this blood magnesium test at Memorial Hospital in Abilene, KS, the cash price is $105.00, which matches the facility's median negotiated rate of $53.00 for in-network payers. While commercial insurance plans like Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana negotiate rates around $52.00 to $53.00, these amounts are significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $6.70, indicating a markup of approximately 8.5 times the federal baseline. Patients with high-deductible plans or those who have already met their out-of-pocket maximum may find paying the full cash price of $105.00 more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the negotiated rates often exceed the cash rate due to administrative overhead and contract structures.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the bill by 20% to 50%. It is also important to request a detailed, itemized bill rather than accepting a summary invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be disputed. Since this facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by a Government Hospital District, patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount and ensure they do not inadvertently trigger balance billing by allowing automatic claims submission without a waiver of insurance.