Gallbladder removal (laparoscopic) cost in HI
What a gallbladder removal (laparoscopic) costs at HI hospitals — and the fair price to aim for.
Typical commercial prices here are 4% below the fair benchmark (0.96×) after accounting for local nurse/doctor wages and patient complexity.
Balances commercial hospital prices against CMS clinical safety, infection control, and patient experience.
Aligned Regional Benchmark Peer
Straub Clinic and Hospital prices shoppable and inpatient services (1.0× to 1.4× Medicare, divergence 1.40×) in alignment with regional hospital peers (0.96× Fair BaseRate). Reviewing plan-specific negotiated rates and cash discounts helps lock in the lowest out-of-pocket tier.
Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)
- Elective shoppable care is priced 4% below peer Fair BaseRate (0.96×)
- Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 45% of shoppable procedures (99/100 Cash Honesty)
- 4-Star CMS clinical rating with 76% patient recommendation (76/100 safety score)
- Binding Good Faith Estimate rights under 45 CFR § 149.610 protect self-pay patients before scheduling
Where You Can Get Burned (Markup Traps)
- Even at low-cost facilities (0.96× Fair BaseRate), out-of-network or unnegotiated chargemaster bills can exceed commercial medians — confirm in-network status or request a self-pay cash quote up front.
- Captive ER (0.5×) & laboratory (0.6×) services average 1.40× higher multiples than routine shoppable care (1.0×)
- Upper-quartile procedures (Q75 1.13×) jump +20% above the median procedure ratio (Q50 0.94×)
- Consolidated metro market (HHI 2,350) limits in-network hospital competition (Moderately Concentrated (1,500–2,500))
Pre-scheduled outpatient procedures where patients can comparison-shop.
Emergency, inpatient DRG, lab, and specialty drug lines billed after admission.
Detects median-gaming when upper-quartile codes spike above the p50 median.
In general, HI hospitals charge below the fair price — a good state to get this done. how we calculate the BaseRate →
Compared with the rest of the country, HI’s fair BaseRate ($6,728) is about the same as the national fair price of $5,988.
Cheapest HI hospitals for a gallbladder removal (laparoscopic)
- Straub Clinic and Hospital · Honolulu $5,664
- Pali Momi Medical Center · Aiea $5,718
- Wilcox Memorial Hospital · Lihue $5,718
- Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children · Honolulu $5,718
- Kohala Hospital · Kapaau $5,837
- Kuakini Medical Center · Honolulu $6,702
- The Queens Medical Center · Honolulu $7,138
- Kona Community Hospital · Kealakekua $7,142
- North Hawaii Community Hospital, Inc · Kamuela $7,611
Audit a Bill or Quote at HI Hospital Benchmark (Zero PHI Required)
Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $5,085
At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (36.3% of gross = $5,085).
Compare Prompt-Pay Cash Rate Against Remaining Deductible
Ask HI Hospital Benchmark's billing desk for their written 45 CFR § 180 discounted self-pay cash price and Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act.
Negotiate Toward $6,728 Fair BaseRate ($3,902 Medicare)
Your bill ($14,009) is $7,281 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($6,728) and 3.6× the $3,902 Medicare rate.
How to Pay Less Nearby: Freestanding Centers, Insurer Leverage & Outpatient Savings
Inpatient MS-DRG vs. Outpatient CPT Care-Setting Savings
Clinical Scope Note:Inpatient MS-DRG reflects a multi-day hospital admission (room, nursing, higher clinical acuity); outpatient CPT reflects the outpatient facility fee for clinically eligible low-acuity patients and excludes separate surgeon and anesthesia professional fees.