CMS Price Transparency Data

Diagnostic procedure preparation

Facility: Howard County Medical Center

Billing Code: G0279 (HCPCS)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$33

about 0.8× the $40 Medicare rate · typically $17–$61

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$41

Above the fair price

about $8 over the fair price · 1.0× Medicare

Medicare pays $40 Fair price $33 This hospital $41 Cash price $85 Hospital's list price $85

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NE hospitals

On the higher side — 7 of 8 other NE hospitals charge less.

Cheapest $27 Priciest $51

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

A fair price for a Diagnostic procedure preparation is about $33 (about 0.8× the $40 Medicare rate). Howard County Medical Center charges insurers about $41, or about $85 in cash — above the fair price. Located in St Paul, NE.

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 $33. 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.

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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Humana CignaKaiser 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	$40 - $198	99%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$40 - $188	99%
Aetnamajor	$22 - $81	54%
Humanamajor	$34	84%
Ambetter (Centene)	$80	198%
Medica	$17 - $86	42%
Molina	$42	104%
Oscar Health	$70	173%
WellCare	$41	101%
+ 4 smaller / regional plans	$24 - $80

Government programs also on file: Military & VA.

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 85), 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 HCPCS code on your bill matches exactly: G0279.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Howard County Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for HCPCS code G0279.
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 Howard County Medical Center

Compare: Diagnostic procedure preparation at other NE hospitals

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