Blood test, thyroid (TSH)
Facility: Amberwell Atchison Association
Billing Code: 84443 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84443
- Insurance Median: $77
- Cash Discount Price: $170
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 4.58x 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 $16.8 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 458% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 358%). 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 | $42 - $44 | 250% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $54 - $305 | 321% |
| Va Ccn - All Plans | $56 | 333% |
| Superior Select Mcr Adv - All Plans | $56 | 333% |
| Triwest - All Plans | $56 | 333% |
| Humana | $56 - $76 | 333% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $87 | 518% |
| Aetna | $94 | 560% |
| Cigna | $94 | 560% |
| Centrus Health Direct - All Plans | $128 | 762% |
| Oscar - All Plans | $128 | 762% |
| Multiplan - All Plans | $133 | 792% |
| Wppa Providrs Care - All Plans | $153 | 911% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the blood test code 84443 at Amberwell Atchison Association, the cash price is $170.00, which matches the facility's median negotiated rate of $77.00 and the cash median of $170.00. This cash rate is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $16.80, reflecting a markup common in commercial pricing where negotiated rates often average 200% to 300% of the Medicare baseline. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital in Atchison, KS, the specific data provided does not include state or county average comparisons for this service, so patients should rely on the Medicare rate as the objective cost baseline to evaluate the facility's pricing structure.
Patients should be aware that while insurance plans like Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare have negotiated rates ranging from $42 to $305, these amounts may not represent the lowest possible cost, especially if the patient has a high deductible. In such cases, paying the cash price of $170.00 upfront could be more economical than the insurance negotiated rate, which includes administrative overhead and claims processing costs. To maximize savings, individuals should explicitly ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% for upfront payments, and ensure they do not inadvertently trigger automatic insurance claims that void these cash agreements.