CT scan, neck (cervical spine)
Facility: Liberty Hospital
Billing Code: 72125 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72125
- Insurance Median: $169
- Cash Discount Price: $733
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.58x 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $49 - $2,056 | 46% |
| Aetna | $98 - $1,503 | 92% |
| Cigna | $98 | 92% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $98 - $169 | 92% |
| Medicare (plans) | $99 - $107 | 93% |
| Humana | $100 | 94% |
| Healthy Blue | $105 | 98% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $124 | 116% |
| Home State Health | $143 | 134% |
| Fox Everett | $1,559 | 1460% |
| Phcs | $1,949 | 1825% |
| Multiplan | $2,157 | 2019% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this CT scan of the cervical spine at Liberty Hospital in Liberty, MO, the gross charge of $2,599 is significantly higher than the state average, which is represented by the facility's cash rate of $733. While the hospital's cash price is notably lower than the full list price, it is important to note that commercial insurance negotiated rates often exceed the cash price due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics. For instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield has a high-end negotiated rate of $2,056, and Multiplan charges $2,157, both of which are higher than the $733 cash rate. This dynamic suggests that patients with high-deductible plans might save money by paying cash directly, provided the facility offers a self-pay or prompt-pay discount before submitting a claim.
The median negotiated rate across all payers is $169, which is substantially lower than the gross charge but still represents a markup over the Medicare amount of $106.81, with a ratio of 1.6 times the Medicare rate. Patients should be aware that while the No Surprises Act protects against balance billing for emergency services at in-network facilities, unexpected ancillary services or out-of-network components could still trigger additional charges. To ensure the lowest possible cost, consumers should request an itemized billing audit to verify that no unbundled codes or services not rendered are included in the final invoice, and they should explicitly ask the hospital for prompt-pay discounts prior to scheduling to avoid automatic claims submission that might void cash savings.