Contrast exam thoracic aorta at Mercy Medical Center Merced
333 Mercy Ave., Merced, CA · CommonSpirit Health · · NPI 1518018191
$1,858.64
Cash price Discounted cash price What a hospital charges a self-pay patient who pays directly, without going through insurance — usually well below the gross charge. Example: A CT scan has a $3,200 gross charge but an $850 discounted cash price. Ask for it by name when scheduling — hospitals don't always advertise it up front.
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What you pay up front if you don't use insurance.
$3,609.00
Gross charge Gross charge (chargemaster price) The hospital's full, undiscounted list price — pulled from its internal "chargemaster" price list. Almost no one actually pays this. Example: A chest X-ray has a gross charge of $1,450. The same hospital's discounted cash price for the same X-ray is $180 — the gross charge mostly anchors negotiations, not what patients pay.
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The hospital's undiscounted list price — almost no one pays this.
$255.55 with Kaiser vs $3,999.21 with United — same scan, same building. Share
Negotiated rates by payer
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Negotiated rate
The price a specific insurance plan agreed to pay the hospital for a service — it varies by insurer, and even by plan within the same insurer.
Example: The same knee MRI has a negotiated rate of $904 with one insurer's PPO plan and $1,509 with another's — identical hospital, identical scan.
Full explanation →
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Negotiated rate
The price a specific insurance plan agreed to pay the hospital for a service — it varies by insurer, and even by plan within the same insurer.
Example: The same knee MRI has a negotiated rate of $904 with one insurer's PPO plan and $1,509 with another's — identical hospital, identical scan.
Full explanation →Payer ?Payer The insurance company footing the bill — Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and so on. Example: "Blue Cross Blue Shield" is the payer. Its negotiated rate for an MRI might be $904, while a different payer's negotiated rate for the same scan is $1,509. Full explanation → |
Plan ?Plan The specific product an insurer sells — e.g. "Blue Cross PPO 500" — which sets your deductible, coinsurance and negotiated rates. Example: Two people both insured by Aetna can owe very different amounts for the same MRI: $50 with an HMO plan's flat copay, or the full $1,200 toward a high-deductible PPO plan's unmet deductible. Full explanation → |
Negotiated rate | vs. cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser | Medicaid|< 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| California Health & Wellness | Medicaid|> 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| California Health & Wellness | Medicaid|< 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Kern Health System | Medicaid|> 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Kern Health System | Medicaid|< 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Partnership Health Plan | Medicaid|> 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Partnership Health Plan | Medicaid|< 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Kaiser | Medicaid|> 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Inland Empire Health Plan | Medicaid|> 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Inland Empire Health Plan | Medicaid|< 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Health Plan of San Joaquin | Medicaid|> 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Molina | Medicaid|< 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Molina | Medicaid|> 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Health Plan of San Joaquin | Medicaid|< 21 | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| Central California Alliance for Health | Medicaid|All Plans | $255.55 | ↓ -86% |
| BCBS - Anthem | Medicaid|< 21 | $404.35 | ↓ -78% |
| BCBS - Anthem | Medicaid|> 21 | $404.35 | ↓ -78% |
| Health Net | Medicaid|All Plans | $551.99 | ↓ -70% |
| Aetna | Commercial|PPO | $1,441.58 | ↓ -22% |
| Aetna | Commercial|All Other Plans | $1,441.58 | ↓ -22% |
| Aetna | Commercial|HMO | $1,441.58 | ↓ -22% |
| Healthsmart | Commercial|All Plans | $2,055.60 | ↑ +11% |
| Cigna | Commercial|All Other Plans | $2,226.90 | ↑ +20% |
| Cigna | Commercial|PPO | $2,226.90 | ↑ +20% |
| Kaiser | Commercial|All Plans | $2,363.94 | ↑ +27% |
| BCBS - Anthem | Commercial|Exchange | $2,382.72 | ↑ +28% |
| First Health | Commercial|All Plans | $2,740.80 | ↑ +47% |
| BCBS - Anthem | Commercial|All Other Plans | $3,118.56 | ↑ +68% |
| MultiPlan | Commercial|All Plans | $3,220.44 | ↑ +73% |
| BCBS - Anthem | Medicare|All Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| BCBS - Anthem | Commercial|MCS | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| Aetna | Medicare|All Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| Kaiser | Medicare|All Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| Humana | Medicare|All Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| Scan Health Plan | Medicare|All Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| Health Net | Medicare|All Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| United | Commercial|Non-Options PPO | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| LA Care | Medicare|All Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| United | Commercial|Options PPO | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| United | Commercial|HMO | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| United | Commercial|All Other Plans | $3,504.00 | ↑ +89% |
| Allcare | Commercial|All Plans | $3,641.20 | ↑ +96% |
| Blue Shield CA | Medicare|All Plans | $3,999.21 | ↑ +115% |
| United | Medicare|All Plans | $3,999.21 | ↑ +115% |
Visitor-reported prices
Comments
Contrast exam thoracic aorta at other California hospitals
| Hospital | City | Cash price | Negotiated range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Grande Hospital | Santa Maria | $4,761.50 | $255.55 – $13,457.70 |
| French Hospital | San Luis Obispo | $4,361.00 | $255.55 – $15,820.61 |
| Mercy Hospitals – Bakersfield | Bakersfield | $2,875.63 | $255.55 – $15,009.21 |
| Bakersfield Memorial Hospital | Bakersfield | $2,844.62 | $255.55 – $15,009.21 |
| Queen of The Valley Medical Center | Napa | $4,627.74 | $1,989.67 – $4,434.05 |
| Providence St Joseph Hospital Eureka | Eureka | $6,941.61 | $4,061.05 – $4,434.05 |
| St. Joseph's Medical Center Stockton | Stockton | $2,881.79 | $255.55 – $4,902.00 |
| Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital | Santa Rosa | $4,627.74 | $1,721.34 – $4,434.05 |