UnitedHealthcare · Iowa · commercial in-network

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates in Iowa

How UnitedHealthcare's Iowa rates compare with the other three national payers, across the procedures that matter most to high-revenue specialties.

UnitedHealthcare in Iowa at a glance

Across 228 procedure codes for 8 specialties
Rate index vs state market
118
18% above the Iowa median
Rank in state
1 of 4
UHC 118 · Cigna 117 · BCBS 99 · Aetna 64
vs own national
132
UHC's level vs its national median
Codes where highest
47%
of 228 codes
605 sampled providers336 TINs228 codesMedian 210% of Medicare · method

What the data shows

Generated from Iowa and UnitedHealthcare data only
1

UnitedHealthcare ranks 1st of 4 payers in Iowa with a rate index of 118 (100 = the Iowa market median), across 228 procedure codes.

2

UnitedHealthcare has the highest median for only 47% of codes in Iowa; UnitedHealthcare leads with an index of 118 in the files analyzed.

3

UnitedHealthcare's Iowa rates sit 32% above its own national level, the 9th highest of its 51 states.

4

Largest premium over the Iowa market: CPT 52332 (Cystoscopy and treatment) at 238% of market; largest discount: CPT 88313 (Special stains group 2) at 52%.

How the four payers compare in Iowa

Rate index: 100 = the state four-payer median for the same codes
PayerIndexRankLevelHighest onProviders
UnitedHealthcare1181
118
47%605
Cigna1172
117
46%604
Blue Cross Blue Shield993
99
8%687
Aetna644
64
0%295

Where UnitedHealthcare pays most and least against the Iowa market

Codes with the largest gap to the state median

Highest above market

CodeUHCMarketGapProv.
52332
Cystoscopy and treatment
$907$381+138%70
64566
Neuroeltrd stim post tibial
$136$65+109%55
43255
Egd control bleeding any
$934$452+107%52
52000
Cystourethroscopy
$394$191+106%70
51702
Insert temp bladder cath
$115$56+104%55
52648
Laser surgery of prostate
$3,050$1,518+101%55
43235
Egd diagnostic brush wash
$641$323+98%52
51700
Irrigation of bladder
$141$71+98%55

Furthest below market

CodeUHCMarketGapProv.
88313
Special stains group 2
$75$143-48%52
88312
Special stains group 1
$105$194-46%108
88342
Imhchem/imcytchm 1st antb
$127$230-45%56
88305
Tissue exam by pathologist
$79$125-37%108
77280
Ther rad simulaj field smpl
$384$597-36%56
93298
Rem interrog dev eval scrms
$72$107-33%94
92235
Fluorescein angrph mltiframe
$197$283-30%78
92242
Fluorescein&icg angiography
$447$597-25%78

Where UnitedHealthcare pays above and below its national level

Index vs the payer's own national median (100 = national)

Highest states

StateIndexProv.
Alaska193
164
Wisconsin173
610
Minnesota166
618
Oregon164
683
Massachusetts152
772

Lowest states

StateIndexProv.
Alabama73
719
Florida78
744
Arizona82
699
Louisiana83
808
Delaware83
379

Frequently asked questions

Does UnitedHealthcare pay more or less than the other payers in Iowa?

UnitedHealthcare ranks 1st of 4 in Iowa with an index of 118. It is highest on 47% of codes.

Are UnitedHealthcare's Iowa rates above or below its national level?

About 32% above.

Which procedure does UnitedHealthcare pay most above market in Iowa?

CPT 52332 (Cystoscopy and treatment), at 238% of the Iowa median.

Methodology

How these numbers are calculated
  • 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.

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