Surgical pathology level 4 gross & microscopic examination 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

$269.60

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.

$337.00

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.

$50.76 with Sanford Health Plan Align vs $111.20 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 $50.76 ↓ -81%
Sanford Health Plan SD Exchange True $53.66 ↓ -80%
Ucare Medicare Replacement $54.50 ↓ -80%
Great Plains Medicare Advantage Medicare Replacement $55.03 ↓ -80%
United Healthcare Medicare Replacement $55.03 ↓ -80%
Aetna Medicare Replacement $55.03 ↓ -80%
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Medicare Replacement $55.03 ↓ -80%
Health Partners Medicare Replacement $55.03 ↓ -80%
Primewest Medicare Replacement $56.10 ↓ -79%
Sanford Health Plan Group Health/True $61.19 ↓ -77%
Sanford Health Plan SD Exchange Commercial $63.13 ↓ -77%
Security Health Plan Commercial $66.55 ↓ -75%
Health Partners State Employees $67.03 ↓ -75%
Sanford Health Plan Commercial $71.98 ↓ -73%
Health Partners Commercial $76.23 ↓ -72%
Ucare Commercial $94.50 ↓ -65%
Aetna Commercial $99.22 ↓ -63%
United Healthcare Commercial + Top 20 $101.04 ↓ -63%
Medica Choice $103.94 ↓ -61%
Multiplan Commercial $108.90 ↓ -60%
First Choice Health Network Commercial $108.90 ↓ -60%
Healthez Commercial $108.90 ↓ -60%
Medica Elect $111.20 ↓ -59%
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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Surgical pathology level 4 gross & microscopic examination at other South-dakota hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center Clear Lake $118.40 $75.92 – $159.50
Sanford USD Medical Center Sioux Falls $114.40 $24.02 – $128.70
Sanford Hospital Webster Webster $123.20 $48.36 – $138.60
Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center Chamberlain $252.00 $60.53 – $159.30
Sanford Canton Inwood Medical Center Canton $107.20 $45.83 – $120.60
Sanford Vermillion Hospital Vermillion $119.20 $43.96 – $134.10

All South-dakota hospitals for this procedure →