X-ray knee ap standing bilateral at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center

3421 W. 9th St, Waterloo, IA · MercyOne · · NPI 1700827896

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

$66.30

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.

$102.00

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.

$23.97 with HEALTH CHOICES vs $195.48 with UNITED HEALTHCARE — 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
HEALTH CHOICES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $23.97 ↓ -64%
MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $23.97 ↓ -64%
HEALTH PARTNERS HEALTH PARTNERS $66.91 ↑ +1%
CIGNA EAP MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $72.42 ↑ +9%
AUXIANT MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $72.42 ↑ +9%
MIDLANDS MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $72.42 ↑ +9%
MIDLANDS CHOICE MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $72.42 ↑ +9%
CIGNA MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $72.42 ↑ +9%
MEDICA MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $72.42 ↑ +9%
MEDIGOLD MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MERCYONE HEALTH PLAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $81.99 ↑ +24%
MEDICARE MEDICAL ASSOCIATES HEALTH PLANS MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $81.99 ↑ +24%
AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $81.99 ↑ +24%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLMARK MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $82.81 ↑ +25%
IOWA TOTAL CARE IOWA TOTAL CARE MEDICAID $83.37 ↑ +26%
UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $83.63 ↑ +26%
MOLINA MEDICAID MOLINA MEDICAID $84.19 ↑ +27%
HEALTH PARTNERS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE UNITYPOINT HEALTH PARTNERS MEDICARE ADV $84.50 ↑ +27%
WELLPOINT MEDICAID WELLPOINT MEDICAID $84.52 ↑ +27%
WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $85.33 ↑ +29%
BLUE CROSS - DE (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE SHIELD - ID (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - ND WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - KS WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - MO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - AL WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - WA (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK WESTERN WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NY (EXCELLUS) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - IN (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE SHIELD - PA (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BCN DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE BENEFIT ADMINISTRATORS OF MASSACHUSETTS WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - AR WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NM WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - ID WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - VT WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
KAISER DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE SHIELD - WA (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - IL WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - VA (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - MD (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - ME (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
WC DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - MN WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NE WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - OH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - FL WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - PA (INDEPENDENCE) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - WY WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - KY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - IL ALTERNATE WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CARE NETWORK WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - AZ WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - HI WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK NORTHEASTERN WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - GA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - VA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - UT (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE SHIELD - CA WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK HMO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - CA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - AK (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - WV (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE DISTINCTION TRANSPLANT WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - DC (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - MA WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - WI (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - CO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - SD (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - OR (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NJ (HORIZON) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - PA (CAPITAL) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BCBS GENERIC WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NV (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - OK WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - CT (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - MS WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
PRE-EMPLOYMENT WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - LA WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - TX WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - SC WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - MI WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - MT WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - RI WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - TN WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - FEDERAL WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
BLUE CROSS - NC WELLMARK PPO $88.91 ↑ +34%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE DEERE PREMIER $94.86 ↑ +43%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UHC OPTUM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH $102.00 ↑ +54%
IOWA DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FOR YOURSELF $102.00 ↑ +54%
AMISH HOSPITAL AID AMISH HOSPITAL AID $111.27 ↑ +68%
OSCAR OSCAR $128.39 ↑ +94%
CENTIVO CENTIVO $138.88 ↑ +109%
AMBETTER AMBETTER MARKETPLACE $140.55 ↑ +112%
CHRISTIAN BROTHER SERVICES AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
MEDICAL MUTUAL AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
AETNA DOMESTIC AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
FIRST HEALTH AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
AETNA EAP AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
WEBTPA AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
COVENTRY AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
ALLIED BENEFIT SYSTEMS AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
ASR HEALTH BENEFITS AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
LUCENT HEALTH AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
MERITAIN AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
AETNA AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
LUMINARE HEALTH AETNA $152.25 ↑ +130%
NOVA CLAIMDOC $168.16 ↑ +154%
CLAIMDOC CLAIMDOC $168.16 ↑ +154%
GEHA UNITED HEALTHCARE $195.48 ↑ +195%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $195.48 ↑ +195%

Visitor-reported prices

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X-ray knee ap standing bilateral at other Iowa hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital Waterloo $268.17 $7.69 – $176.66
MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport $117.00 $84.28 – $118.00
MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center Dubuque $161.85 $78.07 – $249.00
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton $218.40 $80.14 – $336.00
MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center Oelwein $337.35 $198.36 – $519.00
MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines $319.80 $5.33 – $492.00
MercyOne Centerville Medical Center Centerville $519.00 $5.33 – $519.00
MercyOne Newton Medical Center Newton $337.35 $82.37 – $519.00

All Iowa hospitals for this procedure →