Amplification real-time pcr dna markers infectious disease bacterial vaginosis and vaginitis at UPMC Altoona

620 Howard Avenue, Altoona, PA · UPMC · · NPI 112418570

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

$280.20

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.

$467.00

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.

$92.53 with Highmark BCBS of PA vs $373.60 with Private Health Care Systems — 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
Highmark BCBS of PA Community Blue Medicare Advantage/Complete Blue Medicare Advantage/Freedom Blue Medicare Advantage/Security Blue Medicare Advantage/Together Blue Medicare Advantage $92.53 ↓ -67%
UPMC Health Plan CHIP $163.45 ↓ -42%
Preferred Healthcare System PPO $233.50 ↓ -17%
UPMC Health Plan Commercial $233.50 ↓ -17%
Cigna Commercial $233.50 ↓ -17%
United Healthcare Commercial $239.38 ↓ -15%
Aetna Commercial $247.51 ↓ -12%
UPMC Work Partners Workers Comp $255.57 ↓ -9%
Geisinger Commercial $256.85 ↓ -8%
PA Health & Wellness Community Health Choices/PA Medicaid HMO $256.85 ↓ -8%
Geisinger Medicaid $256.85 ↓ -8%
UPMC Health Plan Managed Medicare $268.20 ↓ -4%
UPMC Health Plan Partners/Select $272.62 ↓ -3%
United Healthcare Medicare $281.40 ↑ +0%
AmeriHealth Caritas Medicare $284.03 ↑ +1%
Highmark Wholecare (prev Gateway) Medicare $284.03 ↑ +1%
Cigna Medicare $284.03 ↑ +1%
PA Health & Wellness Allwell Medicare Advantage DSNP/Medicare Advantage (Allwell by Wellcare) $284.03 ↑ +1%
Private Health Care Systems PPO $373.60 ↑ +33%

Visitor-reported prices

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Amplification real-time pcr dna markers infectious disease bacterial vaginosis and vaginitis at other Pennsylvania hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
UPMC Bedford Everett $356.40 $94.89 – $534.60
UPMC Carlisle Carlisle $502.20 $114.67 – $711.45
UPMC Cole Coudersport $532.20 $53.00 – $709.60
UPMC Community Osteopathic Harrisburg $502.20 $167.40 – $711.45
UPMC East Monroeville $247.20 $135.96 – $329.60
UPMC Hamot Erie $312.00 $255.57 – $284.03
UPMC Northwest Seneca $340.20 $238.51 – $284.03
UPMC Hanover Hanover $502.20 $260.36 – $420.78

All Pennsylvania hospitals for this procedure →