Surgical pathology level 2 gross & microscopic examination at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center

1300 Anne Street NW, Bemidji, MN · Sanford Health · · NPI 1801870191

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Mar 4, 2026 · Ingested Aug 12, 2026

$150.40

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.

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

$188.00

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.

$21.49 with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota vs $169.20 with Cigna — 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
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota PMAP $21.49 ↓ -86%
Sanford Health Plan Align Medicare Replacement $36.59 ↓ -76%
Ucare Medicare Replacement $39.29 ↓ -74%
United Healthcare Medicare Replacement $39.68 ↓ -74%
Great Plains Medicare Advantage Medicare Replacement $39.68 ↓ -74%
Health Partners Medicare Replacement $39.68 ↓ -74%
Aetna Medicare Replacement $39.68 ↓ -74%
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Medicare Replacement $39.68 ↓ -74%
Primewest Medicare Replacement $40.45 ↓ -73%
Sanford Health Plan SD Exchange True $85.67 ↓ -43%
Sanford Health Plan Group Health/True $97.68 ↓ -35%
Sanford Health Plan SD Exchange Commercial $100.79 ↓ -33%
Security Health Plan Commercial $103.40 ↓ -31%
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Commercial/Federal $105.31 ↓ -30%
Sanford Health Plan Commercial $114.92 ↓ -24%
Health Partners Commercial $131.60 ↓ -13%
Ucare Commercial $132.15 ↓ -12%
United Healthcare CSP Top 20 $143.07 ↓ -5%
Aetna Commercial $154.16 ↑ +3%
United Healthcare Commercial $156.98 ↑ +4%
Medica Choice $157.92 ↑ +5%
Medica Elect $169.01 ↑ +12%
First Choice Health Network Commercial $169.20 ↑ +13%
Multiplan Commercial $169.20 ↑ +13%
Healthez Commercial $169.20 ↑ +13%
Cigna Commercial $169.20 ↑ +13%
Ucare Medicaid Managed Care not published by hospital —
Primewest Medicaid Managed Care not published by hospital —

Visitor-reported prices

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Surgical pathology level 2 gross & microscopic examination at other Minnesota hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Sanford Canby Medical Center Canby $80.80 $24.45 – $90.90
Sanford Westbrook Hospital Westbrook $136.00 $41.16 – $153.00
Sanford Bagley Medical Center Bagley $150.40 $45.51 – $169.20
Sanford Wheaton Wheaton $85.60 $25.90 – $96.30
Sanford Luverne Medical Center Luverne $86.40 $26.15 – $97.20
Sanford Worthington Medical Center Worthington $185.60 $21.95 – $208.80
Sanford Tracy Hospital Tracy $136.00 $41.16 – $153.00
Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center Thief River Falls $123.20 $52.90 – $138.60

All Minnesota hospitals for this procedure →