Pretreat rbc density gradient separation reference at St. Luke's Health - Patients Medical Center

4600 E. Sam Houston Parkway South, Pasadena, TX · CommonSpirit Health · · NPI 1407990088

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Feb 28, 2026 · Ingested Sep 10, 2026

$61.43

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.

$175.50

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.

$98.32 with Cigna vs $257.46 with Community Health Choice — 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
Cigna Commercial|Surefit $98.32 ↑ +60%
Cigna Lifesource Commercial|Transplant $105.30 ↑ +71%
Cigna Commercial|HMO $108.49 ↑ +77%
First Health Commercial|All Plans $114.08 ↑ +86%
Coventry Commercial|PPO $114.08 ↑ +86%
Aetna Commercial|HMO $119.34 ↑ +94%
Cigna Commercial|Transplant $122.85 ↑ +100%
Healthsmart Commercial|PPO $122.85 ↑ +100%
MultiPlan Commercial|All Plans $131.63 ↑ +114%
Cigna Commercial|PPO $148.31 ↑ +141%
CIGNA-HEALTHSPRING Medicare|All Plans $171.64 ↑ +179%
BCBS Medicare|All Plans $171.64 ↑ +179%
HUMANA Medicare|All Plans $171.64 ↑ +179%
KELSEY Medicare|All Plans $171.64 ↑ +179%
UNITED Medicare|All Plans $175.07 ↑ +185%
AETNA Medicare|All Plans $175.07 ↑ +185%
BCBS - TX Commercial|MyBlue Health Exchange $175.50 ↑ +186%
BCBS-TX Commercial|PPO $175.50 ↑ +186%
BCBS-TX Commercial|Exchange $175.50 ↑ +186%
BCBS-TX Commercial|HMO $175.50 ↑ +186%
BCBS-TX Commercial|Blue Premier $175.50 ↑ +186%
AMERIVANTAGE Medicare|All Plans $176.79 ↑ +188%
DEVOTED Medicare|All Plans $183.65 ↑ +199%
SCANHealth Medicare|All Plans $183.65 ↑ +199%
United Commercial|HMO $193.77 ↑ +215%
United Commercial|Charter $193.77 ↑ +215%
United Commercial|Exchange $193.77 ↑ +215%
United Commercial|PPO $193.77 ↑ +215%
Bright Health Commercial|All Plans $249.41 ↑ +306%
Ambetter Commercial|All Plans $257.46 ↑ +319%
Wellpoint Commercial|Exchange $257.46 ↑ +319%
Community Health Choice Commercial|Exchange $257.46 ↑ +319%

Visitor-reported prices

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Pretreat rbc density gradient separation reference at other Texas hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
HCA HOUSTON SOUTHEAST PASADENA not published $149.16 – $438.43
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER Dallas $47.73 $10.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BRENHAM Brenham $196.70 $12.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - BUDA Suite 110 $182.31 $12.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - CENTENNIAL Frisco $47.73 $10.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE MEDICAL CENTER - COLLEGE STATION College Station $196.70 $12.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE CONTINUING CARE HOSPITAL Temple $196.70 $8.00 – $423.12
BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTER - CEDAR PARK Cedar Park $182.31 $12.00 – $423.12

All Texas hospitals for this procedure →