CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: Mercy Medical Center

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$2,356

about 0.7× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $1,517–$3,937

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$1,707

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $649 under the fair price · 0.5× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $2,356 This hospital $1,707

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other CA hospitals

Highest price of the 9 CA hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $551 Priciest $1,707

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 CA hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $2,356 (about 0.7× the $3,343 Medicare rate). Mercy Medical Center charges insurers about $1,707 — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Merced, CA.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

5 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Humana✓ Kaiser Permanente Cigna

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$4,123	123%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$909 - $20,554	27%
Aetnamajor	$4,123 - $10,057	123%
Humanamajor	$4,123	123%
Kaiser Permanentemajor	$790 - $4,123	24%
Health Net	$1,707 - $16,193	51%
Molina	$790	24%
+ 8 smaller / regional plans	$790 - $4,123

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price, before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the CPT code on your bill matches exactly: 29881.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Mercy Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 29881.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at Mercy Medical Center

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other CA hospitals

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.