Alpha-fetoprotein tumor marker at Sycamore Shoals Hospital

1501 W. ELK AVE., ELIZABETHTON, TN · Balladhealth · · NPI 1891801734

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Mar 23, 2026 · Ingested Sep 16, 2026

$29.40

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.

$196.00

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.

$8.39 with AMERIGROUP vs $196.00 with SEVEN CORNERS, INC. — 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
AMERIGROUP AMERIGROUP $8.39 ↓ -71%
OPTIMA HEALTH OPTIMA HEALTH MEDICAID $13.72 ↓ -53%
BLUE CROSS ANTHEM HLTHKEEP MEDICIAD $13.72 ↓ -53%
MOLINA HEALTHCARE MOLINA HEALTHCARE MEDICAID $14.27 ↓ -51%
AETNA AETNA BETTER HEALTH OF VIRGINIA $14.27 ↓ -51%
SENTARA HEALTH SENTARA MEDICARE $16.77 ↓ -43%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $16.77 ↓ -43%
AETNA AETNA BETTER HEALTH OF VIRGINIA MEDICARE $16.77 ↓ -43%
AETNA AETNA HEALTHCARE MEDICARE $16.77 ↓ -43%
HUMANA HUMANA MEDICARE $16.77 ↓ -43%
AMERIGROUP AMERIGROUP MEDICARE WELLPOINT $16.77 ↓ -43%
MANAGED MEDICAIRE MANAGED MEDICAIRE $16.77 ↓ -43%
UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA $16.77 ↓ -43%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UHC HERITAGE RIVER VALLEY $16.77 ↓ -43%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UHC HERITAGE SELECT $16.77 ↓ -43%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE $16.77 ↓ -43%
ALLCARE MEDICARE ALLCARE MEDICARE $16.77 ↓ -43%
BLUE CROSS ANTHEM MEDICARE VIRGINIA $17.27 ↓ -41%
MOLINA HEALTHCARE MOLINA HEALTHCARE MEDICARE $17.44 ↓ -41%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS MEDICARE $17.44 ↓ -41%
NHC ADVANTAGE NHC ADVANTAGE $17.61 ↓ -40%
DEVOTED HEALTH PLAN DEVOTED HEALTH PLAN MEDICARE $17.61 ↓ -40%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA MEDICARE $17.61 ↓ -40%
WELLCARE WELLCARE MEDICARE $17.78 ↓ -40%
UNITED HEALTHCARE TENNCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $21.38 ↓ -27%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS BALLAD HEALTH EMPLOYEE $30.36 ↑ +3%
BLUE CROSS TENNCARE BLUE CARE $31.76 ↑ +8%
BLUE CROSS TENNCARE BLUE SELECT $31.76 ↑ +8%
AMBETTER AMBETTER $36.56 ↑ +24%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA INDIVIDUAL FAMILY PLAN $36.81 ↑ +25%
SENTARA HEALTH SENTARA HEALTH $54.53 ↑ +85%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA OPEN ACCESS PLUS $66.33 ↑ +126%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA HMO $66.33 ↑ +126%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA PPO $66.33 ↑ +126%
MEDCOST MEDCOST VHN $68.60 ↑ +133%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS E NETWORK $93.62 ↑ +218%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS S NETWORK $95.45 ↑ +225%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS P NETWORK $95.45 ↑ +225%
AETNA AETNA $125.05 ↑ +325%
FIRST HEALTH COVENTRY FIRST HEALTH COVENTRY $147.00 ↑ +400%
WELLCARE WELLCARE MEDICAID $196.00 ↑ +567%
SEVEN CORNERS, INC. SEVEN CORNERS, INC. $196.00 ↑ +567%

Visitor-reported prices

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Alpha-fetoprotein tumor marker at other Tennessee hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Nashville $80.12 $6.04 – $65.46
CHI Memorial Hospital Hixson Hixson $27.24 $14.90 – $64.40
62-1166050 BMH Carroll County Huntingdon $67.62 $14.59 – $33.54
CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga Chattanooga $38.92 $14.90 – $64.40
Johnson City Medical Center JOHNSON CITY $29.40 $8.39 – $36.56
Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Smithville $80.12 $11.76 – $65.46
Ascension Saint Thomas Highlands Sparta $80.12 $11.76 – $65.46
Ascension Saint Thomas River Park McMinnville $80.12 $11.76 – $65.46

All Tennessee hospitals for this procedure →