Contrast x-ray of brain at Lonesome Pine Hospital

1990 HOLTON AVE., BIG STONE GAP, VA · Balladhealth · · NPI 1326041716

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

$321.60

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.

Full explanation →

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

$2,144.00

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.

$129.86 with BLUE CROSS vs $2,144.00 with BLUE CROSS — 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
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS BALLAD HEALTH EMPLOYEE $129.86 ↓ -60%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA INDIVIDUAL FAMILY PLAN $207.07 ↓ -36%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UHC HERITAGE SELECT $224.00 ↓ -30%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UHC HERITAGE RIVER VALLEY $233.00 ↓ -28%
UNITED HEALTHCARE TENNCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $247.17 ↓ -23%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $370.00 ↑ +15%
BLUE CROSS ANTHEM HLTHKEEP MEDICIAD $528.19 ↑ +64%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICAID VIRGINIA $528.19 ↑ +64%
OPTIMA HEALTH OPTIMA HEALTH MEDICAID $528.70 ↑ +64%
AETNA AETNA BETTER HEALTH OF VIRGINIA $533.31 ↑ +66%
MOLINA HEALTHCARE MOLINA HEALTHCARE MEDICAID $538.44 ↑ +67%
SENTARA HEALTH SENTARA HEALTH $542.86 ↑ +69%
HUMANA HUMANA MEDICARE $764.86 ↑ +138%
AMERIGROUP AMERIGROUP MEDICARE WELLPOINT $764.86 ↑ +138%
ALLCARE MEDICARE ALLCARE MEDICARE $764.86 ↑ +138%
AETNA AETNA HEALTHCARE MEDICARE $764.86 ↑ +138%
UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA $764.86 ↑ +138%
MANAGED MEDICAIRE MANAGED MEDICAIRE $764.86 ↑ +138%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE $764.86 ↑ +138%
SENTARA HEALTH SENTARA MEDICARE $764.86 ↑ +138%
AETNA AETNA BETTER HEALTH OF VIRGINIA MEDICARE $787.81 ↑ +145%
BLUE CROSS ANTHEM MEDICARE VIRGINIA $787.81 ↑ +145%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS MEDICARE $795.45 ↑ +147%
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE PACE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE PACE $803.10 ↑ +150%
NHC ADVANTAGE NHC ADVANTAGE $803.10 ↑ +150%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA MEDICARE $803.10 ↑ +150%
DEVOTED HEALTH PLAN DEVOTED HEALTH PLAN MEDICARE $803.10 ↑ +150%
MOLINA HEALTHCARE MOLINA HEALTHCARE MEDICARE $803.10 ↑ +150%
WELLCARE WELLCARE MEDICARE $810.75 ↑ +152%
AETNA AETNA $915.49 ↑ +185%
MEDCOST MEDCOST VHN $1,020.33 ↑ +217%
AMBETTER AMBETTER $1,667.39 ↑ +418%
SEVEN CORNERS, INC. SEVEN CORNERS, INC. $1,835.66 ↑ +471%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA PPO $1,870.93 ↑ +482%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA OPEN ACCESS PLUS $1,870.93 ↑ +482%
CIGNA HEALTHCARE CIGNA HMO $1,870.93 ↑ +482%
FIRST HEALTH COVENTRY FIRST HEALTH COVENTRY $1,929.60 ↑ +500%
BLUE CROSS ANTHEM HMO $2,144.00 ↑ +567%
BLUE CROSS ANTHEM EXCHANGE $2,144.00 ↑ +567%
BLUE CROSS TENNCARE BLUE SELECT $2,144.00 ↑ +567%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS S NETWORK $2,144.00 ↑ +567%
BLUE CROSS TENNCARE BLUE CARE $2,144.00 ↑ +567%
BLUE CROSS ANTHEM PPO, TRADITIONAL INDEMNITY $2,144.00 ↑ +567%
BLUE CROSS BLUE CROSS P NETWORK $2,144.00 ↑ +567%

Visitor-reported prices

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Contrast x-ray of brain at other Virginia hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital Charlottesville $426.50 $780.16 – $803.10
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge $1,217.50 $396.41 – $803.10
Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital South Boston $1,245.00 $251.22 – $807.53
Sentara Leigh Hospital Norfolk $1,217.50 $780.16 – $803.10
Sentara RMH Medical Center Harrisonburg $426.50 $780.16 – $803.10
Sentara CarePlex Hospital Hampton $1,217.50 $780.16 – $803.10
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital Norfolk $1,217.50 $780.16 – $803.10
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital Virginia Beach $1,217.50 $780.16 – $803.10

All Virginia hospitals for this procedure →