MRI, brain (with and without contrast)
Facility: Children'S Mercy South
Billing Code: 70553 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70553
- Insurance Median: $242
- Cash Discount Price: $1,050
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.68x 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 $356.43 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 | $94 - $2,724 | 26% |
| Healthy Blue | $100 - $955 | 28% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $101 - $242 | 28% |
| Cigna | $107 - $2,817 | 30% |
| Home State Health | $133 - $839 | 37% |
| Healthlink | $139 - $3,567 | 39% |
| Wppa Providrs Care | $139 - $2,634 | 39% |
| Health Midwest Comprehensive Care | $147 - $2,638 | 41% |
| American Healthcare Alliance | $153 - $3,445 | 43% |
| Quiktrip | $166 - $2,638 | 47% |
| Medica | $188 - $2,363 | 53% |
| Wellfit/Centrus | $203 - $2,634 | 57% |
| Multiplan | $207 - $3,080 | 58% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $207 - $2,999 | 58% |
| Centivo | $209 - $2,634 | 59% |
| Humana | $211 - $2,695 | 59% |
| Aetna | $212 - $2,756 | 59% |
| Orscheln | $213 - $2,634 | 60% |
| Nebraska Furniture Mart | $215 - $2,634 | 60% |
| Mercy Health | $236 - $3,040 | 66% |
| Coxhealth Network | $239 - $2,999 | 67% |
| Coventry Health Care Of Kansas | $268 - $2,999 | 75% |
| National Preferred Provider Network | $284 - $3,648 | 80% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the MRI of the brain (with and without contrast) at Children's Mercy South in Overland Park, KS, the facility's cash median rate of $1,050.00 is significantly higher than the state average of $105.00 and the county average of $105.00. While the Medicare benchmark for this procedure is $356.43, the facility's negotiated rates with major payers like UnitedHealthcare and Healthy Blue range from $94 to $955, which remain well above the cash price. This pricing structure suggests that for patients with high-deductible plans, paying the cash median of $1,050.00 upfront could result in substantial savings compared to insurance claims where the negotiated rate often exceeds the cash amount due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics.
Patients should proactively inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can lower the total cost by bypassing the costly insurance billing cycle. Although the facility is a voluntary non-profit, the wide variance in negotiated rates across 23 different payers—ranging from a low of $94 with UnitedHealthcare to a high of $3,648 with National Preferred Provider Network—highlights the importance of verifying specific plan allowances. To ensure accuracy, consumers should request a full itemized billing audit rather than accepting summary bills, as over 80% of hospital invoices contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can be corrected through formal written disputes.