X-ray, pelvis
Facility: Amberwell Atchison Association
Billing Code: 72170 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72170
- Insurance Median: $351
- Cash Discount Price: $687
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.29x 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 $106.81 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 329% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 229%). 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 | $120 - $126 | 112% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $227 - $1,233 | 213% |
| Triwest - All Plans | $227 | 213% |
| Superior Select Mcr Adv - All Plans | $227 | 213% |
| Va Ccn - All Plans | $227 | 213% |
| Humana | $227 - $309 | 213% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $351 | 329% |
| Cigna | $378 | 354% |
| Aetna | $378 | 354% |
| Centrus Health Direct - All Plans | $515 | 482% |
| Oscar - All Plans | $515 | 482% |
| Multiplan - All Plans | $536 | 502% |
| Wppa Providrs Care - All Plans | $618 | 579% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the X-ray, pelvis procedure (CPT 72170) at Amberwell Atchison Association in Atchison, KS, the cash price is $687.00, which matches the facility's cash median. This rate is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $106.81, reflecting a markup of 3.3 times the federal baseline. While the facility is a voluntary non-profit Critical Access Hospital, patients should note that commercial insurance negotiated rates vary widely; for instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans pay as low as $120, whereas UnitedHealthcare plans range from $227 to $1,233. Because administrative overhead and contract dynamics often inflate commercial rates above cash prices, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying the full cash price of $687.00 more cost-effective than relying on insurance, especially if their plan's allowed amount exceeds the cash rate.
To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the billing department about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% for upfront payment. It is also critical to request an itemized billing audit before paying, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that could lower the total owed. Finally, while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status and allowed amounts prior to scheduling to avoid unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.