Consultation pathology during surgery at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center

1111 6th Ave, Des Moines, IA · MercyOne · Nonprofit · NPI 1234567893

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Mar 31, 2026 · Ingested Aug 3, 2026

$95.55

Cash price

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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.

Full explanation →

What you pay up front if you don't use insurance.

$147.00

Gross charge

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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.

Full explanation →

The hospital's undiscounted list price — almost no one pays this.

$29.55 with MEDICAL ASSOCIATES vs $147.00 with CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE — 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 →

Payer
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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
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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
MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $29.55 ↓ -69%
HEALTH CHOICES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $29.55 ↓ -69%
IOWA DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FOR YOURSELF $31.71 ↓ -67%
GEHA UNITED HEALTHCARE $33.96 ↓ -64%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE OPTIONS $33.96 ↓ -64%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $33.96 ↓ -64%
FIRST HEALTH AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
TRUSTMARK SMALL BUSINESS BENEFITS AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
LUCENT HEALTH AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
AETNA AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
ASR HEALTH BENEFITS AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
MEDICAL MUTUAL AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
1199 NATIONAL BENEFIT FUND AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
AETNA DOMESTIC AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
MERITAIN AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
CHRISTIAN BROTHER SERVICES AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
COVENTRY AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
ALLIED BENEFIT SYSTEMS AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
WEBTPA AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
LUMINARE HEALTH AETNA $51.01 ↓ -47%
MEDICARE MEDICAL ASSOCIATES HEALTH PLANS MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $55.84 ↓ -42%
MEDIGOLD MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MERCYONE HEALTH PLAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $55.84 ↓ -42%
AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $55.84 ↓ -42%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLMARK MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $56.40 ↓ -41%
UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $56.96 ↓ -40%
WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $58.12 ↓ -39%
BLUE CROSS - IN (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE SHIELD - PA (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BCBS GENERIC WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE BENEFIT ADMINISTRATORS OF MASSACHUSETTS WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - OK WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NV (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - AR WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NM WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - ID WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - VT WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE SHIELD - WA (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - IL WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - VA (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - MD (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - ME (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - MN WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NE WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - OH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - FL WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - PA (INDEPENDENCE) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - WY WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - KY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - DE (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE SHIELD - ID (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - ND WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - KS WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - MO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - AL WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - WA (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK WESTERN WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NY (EXCELLUS) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - UT (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE SHIELD - CA WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK HMO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - CA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - AK (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - WV (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE DISTINCTION TRANSPLANT WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - DC (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - MA WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - WI (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - CO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - SD (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - OR (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NJ (HORIZON) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - PA (CAPITAL) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - CT (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - MS WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - LA WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - TX WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - SC WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - MI WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - MT WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - RI WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - TN WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - FEDERAL WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - NC WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - IL ALTERNATE WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CARE NETWORK WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - AZ WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - HI WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK NORTHEASTERN WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - GA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
BLUE CROSS - VA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $60.27 ↓ -37%
AMISH HOSPITAL AID AMISH HOSPITAL AID $75.78 ↓ -21%
OSCAR OSCAR $80.97 ↓ -15%
CENTIVO CENTIVO $82.22 ↓ -14%
CIGNA CIGNA $88.20 ↓ -8%
CIGNA EAP CIGNA $88.20 ↓ -8%
HEALTH PARTNERS HEALTH PARTNERS $93.35 ↓ -2%
MIDLANDS CHOICE MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $95.55 ↑ +0%
MIDLANDS MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $95.55 ↑ +0%
MEDICA MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $95.55 ↑ +0%
AUXIANT MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $95.55 ↑ +0%
AMBETTER AMBETTER MARKETPLACE $95.73 ↑ +0%
NOVA CLAIMDOC $114.53 ↑ +20%
CLAIMDOC CLAIMDOC $114.53 ↑ +20%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE DEERE PREMIER $122.01 ↑ +28%
USA MANAGED CARE USA MANAGED CARE $124.95 ↑ +31%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UHC OPTUM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH $147.00 ↑ +54%
CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE CRIME VICTIMS $147.00 ↑ +54%

Visitor-reported prices

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Consultation pathology during surgery at other Iowa hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
UnityPoint Health - Iowa Lutheran Hospital Des Moines $100.00 $31.71 – $65.62
MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport $36.00 $31.20 – $56.86
MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center Dubuque $103.00 $25.49 – $117.87
MercyOne Dyersville Medical Center Dyersville $139.10 $31.71 – $240.88
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton $55.25 $24.06 – $126.24
MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center Cedar Falls $213.85 $31.71 – $302.35
MercyOne Elkader Medical Center Elkader $139.10 $31.71 – $223.67
MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center West Des Moines $147.00 $29.55 – $147.00

All Iowa hospitals for this procedure →