CT scan, head (with contrast)
Facility: Aurora Medical Center
Billing Code: 70460 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70460
- Insurance Median: $1,014
- Cash Discount Price: $1,570
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.66x 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 $179.2 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 566% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 466%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora Caregiver | $475 | 265% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $538 - $2,644 | 300% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $556 - $2,669 | 310% |
| Healthpartners | $796 - $2,355 | 444% |
| Molina Exchange | $796 | 444% |
| Common Ground | $812 | 453% |
| Centivo | $820 | 458% |
| Aetna | $836 - $2,594 | 467% |
| Health Payment Systems | $875 | 488% |
| Quartz One | $900 | 502% |
| Everpointe Elite | $983 | 549% |
| Quartz Group | $1,000 | 558% |
| Hs Technology | $1,014 | 566% |
| Wisconsin Physician Service | $1,128 - $1,187 | 629% |
| Trilogy | $1,170 | 653% |
| Cigna | $1,700 - $2,656 | 949% |
| Health Eos Plus | $1,884 | 1051% |
| Health Eos | $2,512 | 1402% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
The cash median price for this CT scan, head (with contrast) procedure at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton is $1,570. This facility, a voluntary non-profit acute care hospital, has a negotiated rate of $1,014, which is lower than the cash price, though commercial insurance rates vary significantly; for example, UnitedHealthcare plans may pay up to $2,644 while Molina Exchange plans pay $796. While the facility's rating is 5, patients should be aware that cash payment can sometimes be the most cost-effective option for those with high-deductible plans, as the $1,570 cash rate is notably lower than many commercial negotiated rates, such as the $2,656 rate charged by Cigna.
For context, the Medicare amount for this service is $179.20, and the commercial negotiated rate is 5.7 times higher than the Medicare benchmark. Although the data does not provide explicit state or county average figures for comparison, the significant disparity between the $179.20 Medicare rate and the $1,570 cash rate highlights the potential for substantial savings through prompt-pay discounts or self-pay arrangements. Patients are advised to request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount before scheduling, as these upfront payments can bypass administrative claim processing fees and often result in a lower total cost than the standard cash median.