Ultrasound, abdomen (limited)
Facility: Oakleaf Surgical Hospital
Billing Code: 76705 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 76705
- Insurance Median: $104
- Cash Discount Price: $800
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.97x 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 | $104 - $389 | 97% |
| Dean Health Plan | $104 | 97% |
| Group Health Cooperative Of Eau Claire | $104 | 97% |
| Healthpartners | $104 | 97% |
| Humana | $104 | 97% |
| Medica | $104 | 97% |
| Quartz Health Solutions | $104 | 97% |
| Security Health Plan Of Wi | $104 - $876 | 97% |
| Ucare Wi | $104 | 97% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $104 | 97% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For an Ultrasound, abdomen (limited) procedure at Oakleaf Surgical Hospital in Altoona, WI, the cash median price is $800. This facility is a physician-owned acute care hospital, and while the cash rate is significantly lower than the gross charge of $888, it is important to note that commercial insurance negotiated rates can sometimes exceed the cash price. For instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield has a high-end negotiated rate of $389, which is higher than the $800 cash option. Patients with high-deductible plans may find it financially advantageous to pay the cash price directly, provided they verify the specific negotiated rates with their insurer, as some plans could result in out-of-pocket costs higher than $800 if the deductible has not been met.
To ensure you are receiving the most accurate pricing information, it is recommended to request an itemized billing audit before finalizing any payment. This process involves reviewing a detailed, line-by-line statement of charges to identify potential errors, double-billing, or unbundled codes that could inflate your total cost, as over 80% of hospital bills contain such errors. Additionally, you should explicitly ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which are fee reductions typically ranging from 20% to 50% offered for upfront payments that bypass costly insurance claims processing. While the data provided does not include specific county or state average comparisons for this procedure, understanding that Medicare benchmarks for this service are $106.81 helps establish a baseline for evaluating the facility's pricing markup against national cost standards.