Blood test, ferritin (iron stores)
Facility: Aurora Medical Center
Billing Code: 82728 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 82728
- Insurance Median: $40
- Cash Discount Price: $90
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 2.93x 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 $13.63 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.
Elevated Commercial Rate Alert (Value-Gap)
The negotiated rate at this facility is 293% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 193%). Patients with high-deductible plans or out-of-network benefits may face excessive out-of-pocket costs.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $11 - $152 | 81% |
| Aurora Caregiver | $14 | 103% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $14 - $153 | 103% |
| Common Ground | $29 - $30 | 213% |
| Aetna | $30 - $149 | 220% |
| Centivo | $30 | 220% |
| Health Payment Systems | $34 | 249% |
| Quartz One | $34 | 249% |
| Healthpartners | $36 - $135 | 264% |
| Hs Technology | $38 | 279% |
| Molina Exchange | $38 | 279% |
| Cigna | $40 - $152 | 293% |
| Everpointe Elite | $40 | 293% |
| Quartz Group | $40 | 293% |
| Wisconsin Physician Service | $44 - $46 | 323% |
| Trilogy | $48 | 352% |
| Health Eos Plus | $108 | 792% |
| Health Eos | $144 | 1056% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For patients paying cash directly, the most important factor to know is that the cash rate for this blood test procedure is $90, which is significantly lower than the facility's published gross charge of $180. If you have a high-deductible plan where your insurance negotiated rate exceeds $90, paying out-of-pocket at the cash price could save you money before you even meet your deductible. However, since the median negotiated rate for commercial payers is $40, self-pay patients should verify with the hospital whether a "prompt-pay" discount is available, as paying in full upfront often yields an additional reduction beyond the standard cash rate.
While the cash rate of $90 is notably higher than the facility's median negotiated rate of $40, it remains well above the Medicare benchmark of $13.63, which serves as the federal baseline for the true cost of this service. The facility, Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, WI, is a voluntary non-profit acute care hospital with a 5-star rating, and while specific state or county average rates were not provided in the available data, the wide variance between the cash price and the Medicare amount highlights how commercial insurance contracts and administrative overhead can substantially increase the final cost a patient faces.