Consultation pathology during surgery cytological exam initial site at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital

169 Martin Ave, Ephrata, PA · Wellspan · · NPI 1083615587

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Jan 1, 2026 · Ingested Sep 17, 2026

$261.60

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.

$327.00

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.

$20.01 with UPMC_Medicaid vs $3,617.93 with Highmark — 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
UPMC_Medicaid All_Plans $20.01 ↓ -92%
Blue_Cross_BlueJourney_Medicare All_Plans $57.55 ↓ -78%
Amerihealth_Caritas_Medicaid All_Plans $67.87 ↓ -74%
Geisinger_Medicaid All_Plans $84.84 ↓ -68%
Highmark_Wholecare_Gateway_Medicaid All_Plans $84.84 ↓ -68%
Health_Partners_Medicaid All_Other_Plans $84.84 ↓ -68%
PA_Health_&_Wellness_Medicaid All_Plans $84.84 ↓ -68%
Blue_Cross Capital_Cares_4_kids $147.37 ↓ -44%
Cigna All_Plans $208.69 ↓ -20%
WellSpan_Capital_Blue_Cross All_Plans $209.28 ↓ -20%
Blue_Cross Capital_Blue_Performance_PPO $210.52 ↓ -20%
Blue_Cross All_Other_Plans $210.52 ↓ -20%
Geisinger All_Plans $212.55 ↓ -19%
UPMC UPMC_For_Kids $212.55 ↓ -19%
UPMC Employees_And_Dependents $212.55 ↓ -19%
Tower Health All_Plans $212.55 ↓ -19%
Independence_Blue_Cross All_Plans $212.55 ↓ -19%
PHC All_Plans $228.90 ↓ -13%
Aetna_Better_Health_Kids All_Plans $230.76 ↓ -12%
Aetna All_Plans $371.53 ↑ +42%
First_Health_Network All_Plans $408.42 ↑ +56%
UPMC_Medicare UPMC_for_Life_Community_HealthChoices $788.96 ↑ +202%
United_Medicaid Community_Plan_For_Kids $788.96 ↑ +202%
UPMC_Medicare UPMC_for_Life_Complete_Care $788.96 ↑ +202%
Highmark_Medicare All_Plans $796.85 ↑ +205%
Aetna_Medicare All_Plans $812.63 ↑ +211%
Aetna_Advantra_Medicare All_Plans $812.63 ↑ +211%
United_Medicare ISNP_DSNP_Plans $828.41 ↑ +217%
Devoted_Medicare All_Plans $828.41 ↑ +217%
Geisinger_Gold_Medicare All_Plans $828.41 ↑ +217%
Highmark_Wholecare_Gateway_Medicare All_Plans $831.96 ↑ +218%
Amerihealth_Medicare All_Plans $832.35 ↑ +218%
PA_Health_&_Wellness_Medicare All_Plans $852.08 ↑ +226%
Jefferson_Health_Medicare_Advantage All_Plans $852.08 ↑ +226%
Highmark Higmark_Healthy_Kids $1,224.86 ↑ +368%
Health_Partners_Medicaid Kidz_Partners $1,301.78 ↑ +398%
United_Healthcare All_Plans $2,457.87 ↑ +840%
Highmark My_Direct_Blue $2,894.38 ↑ +1006%
Highmark My_Priority_Blue_Flex $2,894.38 ↑ +1006%
Highmark Performance_Blue $3,002.86 ↑ +1048%
Highmark Choice_Blue_PPO $3,002.86 ↑ +1048%
Highmark Blue_Cross_High_Performance_Network $3,002.86 ↑ +1048%
Highmark All_Other_Plans $3,617.93 ↑ +1283%

Visitor-reported prices

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Consultation pathology during surgery cytological exam initial site at other Pennsylvania hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
UPMC Altoona Altoona $100.20 $16.01 – $133.60
UPMC Bedford Everett $235.20 $23.28 – $352.80
UPMC Carlisle Carlisle $1,472.40 $20.97 – $2,085.90
UPMC Cole Coudersport $280.20 $53.00 – $373.60
UPMC Community Osteopathic Harrisburg $1,472.40 $20.97 – $2,085.90
UPMC East Monroeville $287.40 $22.97 – $817.76
UPMC Hamot Erie $93.60 $23.43 – $970.76
UPMC Northwest Seneca $231.60 $23.18 – $817.76

All Pennsylvania hospitals for this procedure →