Blood test, cholesterol (lipid panel)
Facility: Amberwell Atchison Association
Billing Code: 80061 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 80061
- Insurance Median: $60
- Cash Discount Price: $134
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.48x 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 $13.39 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 448% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 348%). 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 | $41 - $43 | 306% |
| Superior Select Mcr Adv - All Plans | $44 | 329% |
| Va Ccn - All Plans | $44 | 329% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $44 - $240 | 329% |
| Triwest - All Plans | $44 | 329% |
| Humana | $44 - $60 | 329% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $69 | 515% |
| Aetna | $74 | 553% |
| Cigna | $74 | 553% |
| Oscar - All Plans | $100 | 747% |
| Centrus Health Direct - All Plans | $100 | 747% |
| Multiplan - All Plans | $105 | 784% |
| Wppa Providrs Care - All Plans | $121 | 904% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test, cholesterol (lipid panel) procedure at Amberwell Atchison Association in Atchison, KS, the cash price is $134.00, which matches the facility's cash median. This rate is significantly higher than the state average for this service, indicating that commercial insurance negotiated rates often exceed the cash price for this facility. While the facility's negotiated rates range from $41 to $240 depending on the payer, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the cash price of $134.00 upfront more cost-effective than relying on insurance, as the negotiated rates for many payers exceed the cash amount.
To maximize savings, 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 an itemized billing audit to ensure no errors exist, as over 80% of hospital bills contain mistakes that could be corrected. Finally, while the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a voluntary non-profit ownership, patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status and allowed amounts, as assuming that in-network coverage automatically provides the lowest price can lead to unexpected costs if the patient has not yet met their deductible.