Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair
Facility: Pratt Regional Medical Center
Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 29881
- Insurance Median: $1,395
- Cash Discount Price: $1,073
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.42x Medicare
Average discount available for prompt cash payment at this facility.
Median negotiated contract rate across all mapped commercial carriers.
Standard federal government reimbursement rate for this code.
Visual Cost Comparison vs. Medicare
Understanding this gauge: We use the federal Medicare rate of $3,342.87 as the cost baseline. Rates below the baseline represent excellent value. In-network commercial rates commonly hover around 150% - 250% of Medicare, while rates exceeding 300% are elevated. Hover over the green and blue markers to view detailed calculations.
Out-of-Pocket Cost Estimator
Estimate whether it is more economical to use your insurance or pay the upfront self-pay cash rate.
Commercial Insurance Negotiated Rates
Negotiated contract ranges established by major commercial carriers at this facility.
| Carrier / Plan Group | Contract Rate Range | vs. Medicare Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Health Aid | $293 - $4,052 | 9% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $324 - $5,511 | 10% |
| Health Partners Of Kansas | $332 - $4,593 | 10% |
| Aetna | $351 - $4,863 | 10% |
| Choicecare | $390 - $5,403 | 12% |
| Celtic Insurance Company | $3,000 | 90% |
| Healthy Blue | $3,090 | 92% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 29881, representing a knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at Pratt Regional Medical Center in Pratt, KS, the facility's cash median rate is $1,073.00. This cash price is notably lower than the facility's gross charge of $1,533.00 and the Medicare benchmark of $3,342.87. While the data does not provide a specific county or state average for this procedure, the cash rate of $1,073.00 serves as a critical baseline for patients with high-deductible plans or those without insurance. In such cases, paying the cash price directly can be significantly cheaper than relying on insurance, as commercial negotiated rates often exceed the cash amount due to administrative overhead and contract structures. Patients should verify if their specific plan has a deductible that would otherwise require them to pay the higher negotiated rate before scheduling.
Insurance payers for this service have negotiated rates ranging from $293 to $5,511, with most plans falling between $300 and $5,400. Notably, Celtic Insurance Company and Healthy Blue have fixed negotiated rates of $3,000 and $3,090, respectively, which are substantially higher than the cash price. To minimize costs, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% when paid upfront. Additionally, since the No Surprises Act prohibits balance billing for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, patients can avoid unexpected charges by ensuring their care is properly classified.