MRI, knee or other leg joint
Facility: Children'S Mercy South
Billing Code: 73721 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 73721
- Insurance Median: $1,720
- Cash Discount Price: $704
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 7.06x 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.
Elevated Commercial Rate Alert (Value-Gap)
The negotiated rate at this facility is 706% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 606%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $56 - $2,666 | 23% |
| Healthy Blue | $59 - $608 | 24% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $60 - $153 | 25% |
| Cigna | $61 - $2,758 | 25% |
| Home State Health | $76 - $535 | 31% |
| Healthlink | $82 - $3,492 | 34% |
| Wppa Providrs Care | $83 - $2,579 | 34% |
| Health Midwest Comprehensive Care | $88 - $2,583 | 36% |
| American Healthcare Alliance | $91 - $3,373 | 37% |
| Quiktrip | $95 - $2,583 | 39% |
| Medica | $112 - $2,313 | 46% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $118 - $2,936 | 48% |
| Multiplan | $118 - $3,016 | 48% |
| Aetna | $121 - $2,698 | 50% |
| Wellfit/Centrus | $122 - $2,579 | 50% |
| Humana | $125 - $2,639 | 51% |
| Centivo | $125 - $2,579 | 51% |
| Orscheln | $126 - $2,579 | 52% |
| Nebraska Furniture Mart | $127 - $2,579 | 52% |
| Mercy Health | $140 - $2,976 | 57% |
| Coxhealth Network | $142 - $2,936 | 58% |
| Coventry Health Care Of Kansas | $153 - $2,936 | 63% |
| National Preferred Provider Network | $169 - $3,571 | 69% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For CPT code 73721, an MRI of the knee or other leg joint, the facility's cash median price is $704.00, which is significantly lower than the negotiated rates paid by insurance plans ranging from $56 to $3,571. While the facility's cash rate is also lower than the state average of $704.00, patients with high-deductible plans may find paying out-of-pocket initially more cost-effective if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds the cash price. It is important to note that while the facility is a voluntary non-profit in Overland Park, KS, and offers a cash rate of $704.00, the actual amount an insurer pays varies widely, with the lowest negotiated rate at $56 and the highest at $3,571 across 23 different payers.
Patients should be aware that commercial insurance contracts often result in higher costs than cash payments due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics, with negotiated rates frequently averaging 200% to 300% of the Medicare benchmark of $243.77 for this procedure. To minimize costs, individuals should explicitly request "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can bypass the costly claims processing cycle and administrative fees associated with insurance billing. If a balance bill or unexpected charge arises from out-of-network services, patients should dispute the bill in writing rather than paying immediately, as federal protections like the No Surprises Act may apply to non-emergency care at in-network facilities.