Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement
What Medicare pays for 84315, what providers bill, and how the price varies across 6 states, drawn from CMS 2023 claims data.
84315 · the short answer
For specific gravity (liquid weight) measurement, Medicare pays about $3.21 on average across 6 states. This is a low-payment administrative or drug code, so the billed-to-paid ratio is not a meaningful "markup."
- Medicare pays
- $3.21
- Providers bill
- $26.43
- States with data
- 6
Medicare amounts are CMS-published; markup = average submitted charge ÷ average Medicare payment.
Price Range Across States
What You Might Pay
Estimated using RAND 2024 commercial-to-Medicare ratios. Actual prices vary by insurer, plan, and facility.
How we estimate these prices
These estimates are based on the RAND Hospital Price Transparency Study (4th Edition, 2024), which found that commercial insurance prices average 224% of Medicare rates nationally. We apply category-specific ratios: Laboratory procedures average 2.24x Medicare rates. Cash/self-pay estimates blend typical cash discounts (55% of billed charges) with Medicare-based estimates (150% of allowed amounts). These are statistical estimates, not quotes. Contact your insurer or provider for actual costs.
Prices by State
| State | Medicare Payment | Billed Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $3.21 | $3.28 |
| Utah | $3.21 | $16.40 |
| Arizona | $3.21 | $35.50 |
| New Jersey | $3.21 | $16.06 |
| New York | $3.21 | $14.70 |
| Texas | $3.20 | $6.57 |
What the Data Says About Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement
Across 6 states with reporting providers, CPT code 84315 (Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement) shows a national average Medicare payment of $3.21 against an average billed charge of $26.43. That gap, a 8.2x markup, or 724% above the Medicare allowed amount, is not a meaningful ratio for this low-payment code, so treat the billed figure as a chargemaster reference point rather than a real-world price.
Laboratory procedures like this one saw 5.4K services billed to Medicare in 2023 by 11 distinct providers, serving 3.5K unique beneficiaries. State-level variation is significant: Texas reports the lowest average payment at $3.20, while Pennsylvania reports the highest at $3.21. At just 0%, this procedure prices remarkably consistently nationwide, GPCI adjustments barely move the needle for this particular code.
Applying RAND 2024 commercial-to-Medicare ratios specific to the Laboratory category (2.24x), the estimated commercial insurance price lands near $7.18, with self-pay cash discounts commonly bringing the figure closer to $9.67. Within Laboratory, Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement ranks #501 of 502 tracked procedures by national average Medicare payment.
What to do with this
If you may have specific gravity (liquid weight) measurement done, these steps turn the numbers above into a real-world cost estimate.
- Request a Good Faith Estimate from your provider at least 3 business days before a scheduled procedure, under the No Surprises Act it is an enforceable written price.
- Compare specific gravity (liquid weight) measurement costs in your state, Medicare rates vary by locality. Browse states
- Check a hospital’s published cash price, which is often far below the billed charge. Price transparency
- Understand why billed charges run several times the Medicare rate before you negotiate. Read the guide
Figures here are averages and estimates, not a quote. Confirm coverage and out-of-pocket costs with your insurer and provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement cost?
Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement (CPT 84315) is priced fairly consistently nationwide: Medicare pays $3.21 on average, and the $3.20-$3.21 state range stays relatively tight. Providers typically bill $26.43.
Why do providers charge more than Medicare pays?
Providers set their own chargemaster rates (billed charges), which are typically much higher than what any insurer pays. Medicare pays a fixed rate based on the procedure code and geographic location. The billed charge is relevant mainly for uninsured patients, who may face prices closer to the submitted charge.
How much does Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement cost with insurance?
With commercial insurance, specific gravity (liquid weight) measurement costs an estimated $7.18 on average (range: $5.03-$10.06), a moderate premium over Medicare's $3.21. Without insurance, the estimated cash price is $9.67.
Which state has the lowest cost for Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement?
Texas and Pennsylvania bookend the range for Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement, at $3.20 and $3.21 respectively - a relatively tight $0.01 spread nationwide.
How many providers perform Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement?
Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement is comparatively uncommon: only 11 providers nationally billed Medicare for it in 2023, serving 3.5K beneficiaries via 5.4K total services.
What is the billed-to-Medicare markup for Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement?
Providers bill 8.2x what Medicare pays for Specific Gravity (liquid Weight) Measurement - a markup within the typical range at 724% above the Medicare rate.
Related Guides
Tips to reduce out-of-pocket costs
Your right to upfront pricing
How Medicare payments work
Decode charges and codes
Why bills exceed actual costs
Geographic pricing factors
Data from CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners (2023).
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Every figure on PlainProcedure is rendered directly from CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.