Cytopathology fluids/washings/brushings smears with interpretation at Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center

2905 3rd Ave SE, Aberdeen, SD · Sanford Health · · NPI 1235406455

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

$122.40

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.

Full explanation →

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

$153.00

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.

$37.29 with Sanford Health Plan Align vs $140.61 with Medica — 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
Sanford Health Plan Align Medicare Replacement $37.29 ↓ -70%
Ucare Medicare Replacement $40.04 ↓ -67%
Aetna Medicare Replacement $40.43 ↓ -67%
Great Plains Medicare Advantage Medicare Replacement $40.43 ↓ -67%
United Healthcare Medicare Replacement $40.43 ↓ -67%
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Medicare Replacement $40.43 ↓ -67%
Health Partners Medicare Replacement $40.43 ↓ -67%
Primewest Medicare Replacement $41.21 ↓ -66%
Sanford Health Plan SD Exchange True $67.86 ↓ -45%
Sanford Health Plan Group Health/True $77.37 ↓ -37%
Sanford Health Plan SD Exchange Commercial $79.82 ↓ -35%
Security Health Plan Commercial $84.15 ↓ -31%
Health Partners State Employees $84.76 ↓ -31%
Sanford Health Plan Commercial $91.02 ↓ -26%
Health Partners Commercial $96.39 ↓ -21%
Ucare Commercial $119.49 ↓ -2%
Aetna Commercial $125.46 ↑ +3%
United Healthcare Commercial + Top 20 $127.76 ↑ +4%
Medica Choice $131.43 ↑ +7%
Multiplan Commercial $137.70 ↑ +13%
First Choice Health Network Commercial $137.70 ↑ +13%
Healthez Commercial $137.70 ↑ +13%
Medica Elect $140.61 ↑ +15%
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Commercial not published by hospital —
Wellmark HMO not published by hospital —

Visitor-reported prices

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Cytopathology fluids/washings/brushings smears with interpretation at other South-dakota hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center Clear Lake $132.00 $84.65 – $148.50
Sanford USD Medical Center Sioux Falls $150.40 $17.78 – $169.20
Sanford Hospital Webster Webster $140.80 $55.26 – $158.40
Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center Chamberlain $162.40 $69.43 – $182.70
Sanford Canton Inwood Medical Center Canton $140.80 $60.19 – $158.40
Sanford Vermillion Hospital Vermillion $147.20 $54.28 – $165.60

All South-dakota hospitals for this procedure →