MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Ascension Via Christi Rehabilitation Hospital Inc
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $228
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.94x 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 $243.77 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $219 - $1,427 | 90% |
| Va | $224 | 92% |
| Vc Hope | $224 | 92% |
| Medicare (plans) | $224 - $228 | 92% |
| Humana | $224 | 92% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $228 - $626 | 94% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $228 | 94% |
| Smarthealth | $313 | 128% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $380 | 156% |
| Cigna | $467 | 192% |
| Coventry City Of Wichita | $943 | 387% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI, brain (no contrast) procedure at Ascension Via Christi Rehabilitation Hospital Inc in Wichita, KS, the negotiated rates across 11 insurance plans range from $219 to $943, with a median negotiated amount of $228. This commercial rate is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmark of $243.77, which serves as the federal baseline for the true cost of care. While commercial contracts often include administrative overhead that can inflate prices by 20% to 40%, the facility's cash price is not listed in this report. Patients with high-deductible plans should be aware that paying cash upfront can sometimes result in lower out-of-pocket costs than the insurance negotiated rate, provided the facility offers a self-pay or prompt-pay discount. It is essential to contact the hospital directly before scheduling to confirm if a cash discount is available and to request a waiver of insurance submission to avoid automatic claims processing.
The data indicates that while some payers like Aetna have a wide range of negotiated rates between $219 and $1,427, others such as UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield have fixed rates of $228. Because the specific county or state average for this procedure is not provided in the current dataset, patients cannot yet compare the facility's pricing against regional norms. However, the No Surprises Act protects patients from balance billing for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, meaning they should not pay surprise bills for emergency care or non-emergency services from out-of-network providers. If a patient receives an unexpected bill, they should dispute it in writing with the insurer rather than paying immediately, and they should request a full itemized audit