CT scan, chest (no contrast)
Facility: Children'S Mercy South
Billing Code: 71250 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 71250
- Insurance Median: $119
- Cash Discount Price: $821
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.11x 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $44 - $2,191 | 41% |
| Healthy Blue | $47 - $273 | 44% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $48 - $70 | 45% |
| Cigna | $53 - $2,266 | 50% |
| Home State Health | $58 - $240 | 54% |
| Wppa Providrs Care | $66 - $2,120 | 62% |
| Health Midwest Comprehensive Care | $69 - $2,123 | 65% |
| Healthlink | $70 - $2,870 | 66% |
| American Healthcare Alliance | $72 - $2,772 | 67% |
| Quiktrip | $82 - $2,123 | 77% |
| Medica | $92 - $1,901 | 86% |
| Humana | $94 - $2,169 | 88% |
| Orscheln | $95 - $2,120 | 89% |
| Wellfit/Centrus | $96 - $2,120 | 90% |
| Centivo | $99 - $2,120 | 93% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $102 - $2,413 | 95% |
| Multiplan | $102 - $2,478 | 95% |
| Aetna | $104 - $2,217 | 97% |
| Nebraska Furniture Mart | $108 - $2,120 | 101% |
| Mercy Health | $115 - $2,446 | 108% |
| Coxhealth Network | $117 - $2,413 | 110% |
| Coventry Health Care Of Kansas | $132 - $2,413 | 124% |
| National Preferred Provider Network | $139 - $2,935 | 130% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CT scan of the chest without contrast at Children's Mercy South in Overland Park, Kansas, the facility's cash price of $821.00 is significantly lower than the gross charge of $1,710.00. While the facility's negotiated rates with insurance payers range from $44 to $2,935, the cash price offers a substantial alternative for patients who may have high deductibles or are uninsured. It is important to note that commercial insurance negotiated rates often include administrative overhead and can exceed the cash price; for instance, some payers like Healthlink and American Healthcare Alliance have negotiated rates as high as $2,870 and $2,772, respectively. Patients should verify their specific plan's deductible status before relying on insurance, as paying the full negotiated rate out-of-pocket could be more expensive than paying the cash price directly.
To maximize savings, patients should proactively ask the billing department about "prompt-pay" discounts, which typically reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% for upfront payment within 30 days. This discount bypasses the costly insurance claims processing cycle and provides immediate liquidity to the facility. Additionally, if a patient receives a surprise balance bill from an out-of-network provider, they may be protected under the No Surprises Act, which bans balance billing for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. Consumers are advised to request a full itemized bill before making any payments to ensure no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included, and to dispute any errors in writing rather than accepting summary invoices.