CMS Price Transparency Data

Blood transfusion

Facility: Carolina East Medical Center

Billing Code: 36430 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price low confidence

A fair price for this

$273

about 0.6× the $451 Medicare rate · typically $56–$593

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$422

Above the fair price

about $149 over the fair price · 0.9× Medicare

Medicare pays $451 Fair price $273 This hospital $422 Cash price $263 Hospital's list price $438

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NC hospitals

On the higher side — 6 of 8 other NC hospitals charge less.

Cheapest $280 Priciest $425

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 NC hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a Blood transfusion is about $273 (about 0.6× the $451 Medicare rate). Carolina East Medical Center charges insurers about $422, or about $263 in cash — above the fair price. Located in New Bern, NC.

This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less

Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $273. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

5 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna✓ Humana Kaiser Permanente

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$308 - $315	68%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$297 - $304	66%
Aetnamajor	$384 - $392	85%
Cignamajor	$394 - $403	87%
Humanamajor	$422	94%
+ 5 smaller / regional plans	$115 - $422

Government programs also on file: Military & VA.

Excludes 6 rental-network / third-party entries (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price (about 263), before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the CPT code on your bill matches exactly: 36430.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Carolina East Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 36430.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at Carolina East Medical Center

Compare: Blood transfusion at other NC hospitals

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.