Howard County Medical Center Pricing Analysis
Source: Hospital MRF file & CMS Medicare PFS 2026
B
Below Average Cost
17x
the federal fair-price benchmark
10,060
46 comparable to federal rates
Check a specific procedure price
Use our price checker to look up any of 7,700+ procedures and see what Medicare considers a fair price.
Biggest Overcharges at This Hospital
These are the procedures where Howard County Medical Centercharges the most compared to the federal fair-price benchmark. “They Charge” is what appears on your bill. “Gov. Benchmark” is what the government determines the doctor's work is worth.
| Procedure | Code | They Charge | Gov. Benchmark | You Overpay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BILATER LUMB OR SACRAL 2ND L | 64494 | $2,880 | $96 | +$2,784 |
| BILAT RFA LUMBAR OR SACRAL ADD | 64636 | $5,568 | $252 | +$5,316 |
| CT HEAD WO CONTRAST | 70450 | $2,201 | $107 | +$2,095 |
| INSERT PICC CATH | 36569 | $1,728 | $86 | +$1,642 |
| MRI THORACIC WO CONTRAST | 72146 | $3,772 | $190 | +$3,581 |
| MRI CERVICAL WO CONTRAST | 72141 | $3,730 | $191 | +$3,539 |
| MRI BRAIN WO CONTRAST | 70551 | $3,793 | $195 | +$3,598 |
| MRI LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | 72148 | $3,658 | $192 | +$3,466 |
| CT LUMBAR SPINE WO CONTRAST | 72131 | $2,463 | $130 | +$2,333 |
| CT T-SPINE W/O CONTRAST | 72128 | $2,424 | $130 | +$2,294 |
| CT CHEST WO CONTRAST | 71250 | $2,416 | $133 | +$2,284 |
| BILAT MBB CERV OR THOR 2ND LEV | 64491 | $1,857 | $102 | +$1,755 |
| CT PELVIS WO CONTRAST | 72192 | $2,416 | $133 | +$2,284 |
| BILAT MBB CERV OR THOR 3RD LEV | 64492 | $1,857 | $102 | +$1,754 |
| CT ABDOMEN WO CONTRAST | 74150 | $2,464 | $136 | +$2,328 |
| CT LOW EXT WO CONTRAST-LEFT | 73700 | $2,354 | $130 | +$2,224 |
| MRI ABDOMEN WO CONTRAST | 74181 | $3,487 | $194 | +$3,293 |
| BILATER LUMB OR SACRAL 3RD LEV | 64495 | $1,753 | $99 | +$1,654 |
About Howard County Medical Center Pricing
Howard County Medical Center in , NE charges about 17x the government benchmark — more expensive than average across 46procedures we could compare. This data comes directly from the hospital's own published price file — they're required by federal law to share it.
What this means for your bill
If you're uninsured, out-of-network, or have a high-deductible plan, these prices directly affect what you pay. If you have in-network insurance, your insurer has likely negotiated much lower rates — but you may still owe a percentage of the hospital's high list price for your coinsurance or deductible.
Can I negotiate?
Yes. Most hospitals will reduce bills when patients present evidence. Our bill checker compares your specific charges to fair-price benchmarks and generates a dispute letter you can send to the billing department.
Compare with other hospitals
See how Howard County Medical Center stacks up against other hospitals in the area.
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