CMS Price Transparency Data

Blood transfusion

Facility: Virginia Hospital Center

Billing Code: 36430 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$697

about 1.5× the $451 Medicare rate · typically $398–$1,935

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$523

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $174 under the fair price · 1.2× Medicare

Medicare pays $451 Fair price $697 This hospital $523 Cash price $825 Hospital's list price $1,032

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other VA hospitals

Highest price of the 9 VA hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $396 Priciest $523

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

A fair price for a Blood transfusion is about $697 (about 1.5× the $451 Medicare rate). Virginia Hospital Center charges insurers about $523, or about $825 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Arlington, VA.

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	$440 - $838	98%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$440 - $863	98%
Aetnamajor	$445 - $567	99%
Cignamajor	$440 - $670	98%
Humanamajor	$440	98%

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 825), 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 Virginia Hospital 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 Virginia Hospital Center

Compare: Blood transfusion at other VA hospitals

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