Aetna negotiated rates in Louisiana
How Aetna's Louisiana rates compare with the other three national payers, across the procedures that matter most to high-revenue specialties.
Aetna in Louisiana at a glance
What the data shows
Aetna ranks 2nd of 4 payers in Louisiana with a rate index of 96 (100 = the Louisiana market median), across 228 procedure codes.
Aetna has the highest median for only 25% of codes in Louisiana; UnitedHealthcare leads with an index of 106 in the files analyzed.
Aetna's Louisiana rates sit 6% above its own national level, the 15th highest of its 51 states.
Largest premium over the Louisiana market: CPT 72148 (Mri lumbar spine w/o dye) at 153% of market; largest discount: CPT 74174 (Cta abd&plvs w/contrast) at 66%.
How the four payers compare in Louisiana
| Payer | Index | Rank | Level | Highest on | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | 106 | 1 | 54% | 808 | |
| Aetna | 96 | 2 | 25% | 832 | |
| Cigna | 95 | 3 | 13% | 837 | |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 92 | 4 | 15% | 203 |
Where Aetna pays most and least against the Louisiana market
Highest above market
| Code | Aetna | Market | Gap | Prov. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72148 Mri lumbar spine w/o dye | $550 | $359 | +53% | 171 |
| 73721 Mri jnt of lwr extre w/o dye | $550 | $373 | +48% | 166 |
| 73221 Mri joint upr extrem w/o dye | $550 | $375 | +47% | 166 |
| 77280 Ther rad simulaj field smpl | $389 | $269 | +45% | 97 |
| 65778 Cover eye w/membrane | $78 | $62 | +27% | 85 |
| 70551 Mri brain stem w/o dye | $478 | $386 | +24% | 90 |
| 72141 Mri neck spine w/o dye | $467 | $378 | +24% | 90 |
| 67036 Removal of inner eye fluid | $1,256 | $1,031 | +22% | 82 |
Furthest below market
| Code | Aetna | Market | Gap | Prov. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74174 Cta abd&plvs w/contrast | $336 | $508 | -34% | 86 |
| 99457 Rpm tx mgmt 1st 20 min | $32 | $44 | -28% | 109 |
| 43239 Egd biopsy single/multiple | $283 | $380 | -26% | 116 |
| 74178 Ct abd&plv wo cntr flwd cntr | $320 | $418 | -24% | 173 |
| 64566 Neuroeltrd stim post tibial | $49 | $63 | -23% | 69 |
| 93297 Rem interrog dev eval icpms | $33 | $41 | -21% | 63 |
| 43251 Egd remove lesion snare | $314 | $397 | -21% | 104 |
| 99349 Home/res vst est mod mdm 40 | $112 | $141 | -21% | 48 |
Where Aetna pays above and below its national level
Highest states
| State | Index | Prov. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 306 | 211 | |
| Idaho | 152 | 491 | |
| Washington | 142 | 708 | |
| Mississippi | 138 | 608 | |
| Montana | 136 | 80 |
Lowest states
| State | Index | Prov. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 80 | 698 | |
| South Dakota | 82 | 147 | |
| Florida | 82 | 758 | |
| Minnesota | 84 | 774 | |
| North Dakota | 85 | 211 |
Frequently asked questions
Does Aetna pay more or less than the other payers in Louisiana?
Aetna ranks 2nd of 4 in Louisiana with an index of 96. It is highest on 25% of codes.
Are Aetna's Louisiana rates above or below its national level?
About 6% above.
Which procedure does Aetna pay most above market in Louisiana?
CPT 72148 (Mri lumbar spine w/o dye), at 153% of the Louisiana median.
Methodology
- Source: in-network negotiated-rate files published under the federal Transparency in Coverage rule, August 2026 snapshot: UnitedHealthcare Choice plans (74 files); Aetna commercial plans (70 files); Cigna national PPO (1 files); BCBS licensees' own-network files (5,387 files). Payer comparisons describe these files, not each payer's entire book of business.
- Sample: rates come from a random sample of up to 150 providers per state and specialty. Counts on this page are sampled providers and TINs, not totals.
- Which providers count: only providers in a specialty relevant to the code, because a rate in a payer file attaches to a provider group and is listed under every provider in that group.
- Filters: fee-for-service, professional billing class, no modifier, negotiated or fee-schedule dollar rates. Rates outside 1% to 1,000% of the Medicare rate are excluded.
- Statistic: one median rate per provider, then percentiles across providers. A cell is shown only with at least 15 sampled providers and 4 TINs.
- Medicare benchmark: CY2026 national physician fee schedule, non-QPP conversion factor, unadjusted for locality. Where the non-facility rate is more than twice the facility rate (office rates that include device or supply cost), the facility rate is used so comparisons are like for like.
Is your Aetna contract at market in Louisiana?
Compare your negotiated rates for these codes with Louisiana medians for each payer.