Blood test, thyroid (TSH)
Facility: Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital
Billing Code: 84443 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 84443
- Insurance Median: $149
- Cash Discount Price: $73
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 8.87x 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 887% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 787%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Centura Employee Plan | $21 | 125% |
| Kansas Health | $58 | 345% |
| Medicare (plans) | $58 | 345% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $58 - $152 | 345% |
| Humana | $58 | 345% |
| Aetna | $58 - $146 | 345% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $59 | 351% |
| Multiplan | $164 - $170 | 976% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $171 | 1018% |
| Wppa | $173 | 1030% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 84443 representing a blood test for thyroid function (TSH), Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses, Kansas, lists a gross charge of $182.00. While the facility offers a cash median price of $73.00, which is significantly lower than the negotiated rates paid by insurance carriers, patients should be aware that commercial payers like UnitedHealthcare and Aetna have negotiated ranges extending up to $152 and $146 respectively. It is important to note that cash payments can sometimes be more cost-effective for individuals with high-deductible plans if their insurance allowed amount exceeds the cash price. Additionally, the facility is a Critical Access Hospital owned by a voluntary non-profit church, and while they offer a prompt-pay discount for upfront billing, patients must explicitly request self-pay classification before check-in to ensure the lower cash rate applies rather than being billed at the higher insurance negotiated rate.
When evaluating the cost of this service, it is crucial to compare rates against federal benchmarks rather than the hospital's inflated list price. The Medicare amount for this procedure is $16.80, which serves as the objective baseline for fair pricing; commercial negotiated rates often average between 200% and 300% of this figure, whereas fair pricing is typically defined as 120% to 150% of the Medicare rate. Although specific county or state average data was not provided in the source material, patients should avoid accepting summary bills that obscure individual charges, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as code unbundling or services not rendered. To protect against unexpected costs, consumers should demand