Blood test, hemoglobin
Facility: Centura St. Catherine-Dodge City
Billing Code: 85018 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 85018
- Insurance Median: $44
- Cash Discount Price: $27
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 18.57x 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 $2.37 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 1857% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 1757%). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare (plans) | $2 | 84% |
| Humana | $2 | 84% |
| Cigna | $2 | 84% |
| Kansas Health | $2 | 84% |
| Aetna | $2 - $54 | 84% |
| Kaiser | $2 | 84% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $2 - $11 | 84% |
| Centura Employee Plan | $3 | 127% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $44 | 1857% |
| Wpaa | $47 | 1983% |
| Multiplan | $54 - $61 | 2278% |
| Christian Health Aid | $54 | 2278% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $61 | 2574% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 85018 (Blood test, hemoglobin) at Centura St. Catherine-Dodge City, the facility's cash median price is $27.00, which is significantly lower than the state average of $44.00 and the county average of $44.00. While commercial payers like UnitedHealthcare and Wpaa have negotiated rates of $44.00 and $47.00 respectively, patients with high-deductible plans may find the cash price more advantageous if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds this amount. It is important to note that the facility's cash price is also lower than the Medicare benchmark of $2.37 when adjusted for the specific billing context, highlighting that the cash rate represents a substantial discount compared to standard commercial benchmarks.
The facility offers a prompt-pay discount for patients who settle their bill upfront, which can further reduce the final cost. Since the facility is an Acute Care Hospital in Dodge City, KS, and operates under Proprietary ownership, patients should verify their specific plan details before scheduling to ensure they are aware of any potential deductibles or co-pays. If a patient receives an itemized bill, they should request a full line-by-line statement to identify any errors, unbundled codes, or services not rendered, as over 80% of hospital bills contain mistakes that can be corrected through a formal written audit dispute.