Cigna negotiated rates in South Carolina
How Cigna's South Carolina rates compare with the other three national payers, across the procedures that matter most to high-revenue specialties.
Cigna in South Carolina at a glance
What the data shows
Cigna ranks 3rd of 4 payers in South Carolina with a rate index of 100 (100 = the South Carolina market median), across 227 procedure codes.
Cigna has the highest median for only 22% of codes in South Carolina; Blue Cross Blue Shield leads with an index of 116 in the files analyzed.
Cigna's South Carolina rates sit 10% below its own national level, the 40th highest of its 51 states.
Largest premium over the South Carolina market: CPT 70498 (Ct angiography neck) at 175% of market; largest discount: CPT 52332 (Cystoscopy and treatment) at 64%.
How the four payers compare in South Carolina
| Payer | Index | Rank | Level | Highest on | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 116 | 1 | 48% | 311 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | 111 | 2 | 31% | 733 | |
| Cigna | 100 | 3 | 22% | 778 | |
| Aetna | 76 | 4 | 5% | 627 |
Where Cigna pays most and least against the South Carolina market
Highest above market
| Code | Cigna | Market | Gap | Prov. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70498 Ct angiography neck | $705 | $403 | +75% | 98 |
| 70496 Ct angiography head | $704 | $404 | +74% | 98 |
| 71275 Ct angiography chest | $695 | $411 | +69% | 98 |
| 70553 Mri brain stem w/o & w/dye | $829 | $533 | +56% | 98 |
| 74174 Cta abd&plvs w/contrast | $853 | $556 | +53% | 98 |
| 77080 Dxa bone density axial | $91 | $60 | +52% | 98 |
| 72158 Mri lumbar spine w/o & w/dye | $832 | $548 | +52% | 98 |
| 71260 Ct thorax dx c+ | $427 | $283 | +51% | 98 |
Furthest below market
| Code | Cigna | Market | Gap | Prov. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52332 Cystoscopy and treatment | $238 | $372 | -36% | 92 |
| 64566 Neuroeltrd stim post tibial | $47 | $72 | -35% | 90 |
| 43235 Egd diagnostic brush wash | $196 | $291 | -33% | 102 |
| 92012 Intrm oph exam est patient | $41 | $61 | -32% | 92 |
| 67840 Remove eyelid lesion | $148 | $214 | -31% | 92 |
| 43248 Egd guide wire insertion | $256 | $369 | -31% | 102 |
| 43251 Egd remove lesion snare | $302 | $434 | -30% | 102 |
| 96910 Photchmtx tar&uvb/ptrltm&uvb | $74 | $106 | -30% | 98 |
Where Cigna pays above and below its national level
Frequently asked questions
Does Cigna pay more or less than the other payers in South Carolina?
Cigna ranks 3rd of 4 in South Carolina with an index of 100. It is highest on 22% of codes.
Are Cigna's South Carolina rates above or below its national level?
About 10% below.
Which procedure does Cigna pay most above market in South Carolina?
CPT 70498 (Ct angiography neck), at 175% of the South Carolina 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 Cigna contract at market in South Carolina?
Compare your negotiated rates for these codes with South Carolina medians for each payer.