CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$1,645

about 0.5× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $1,114–$2,645

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$1,564

About the fair price

about $81 under the fair price · 0.5× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $1,645 This hospital $1,564 Cash price $1,994 Hospital's list price $2,493

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other IA hospitals

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

Cheapest $467 Priciest $1,564

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

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $1,645 (about 0.5× the $3,343 Medicare rate). Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi charges insurers about $1,564, or about $1,994 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Des Moines, IA.

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✓ Cigna✓ Humana Kaiser Permanente

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	$515 - $8,333	15%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$501 - $1,256	15%
Aetnamajor	$491 - $8,114	15%
Cignamajor	$1,305	39%
Humanamajor	$515	15%
Amerigroup	$3,126	94%
HealthPartners	$1,055 - $4,194	32%
Molina	$501 - $3,310	15%
+ 2 smaller / regional plans	$515 - $3,407

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 (about 1,994), 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 Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi 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 Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other IA hospitals

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