Total knee replacement
Facility: Wesley Medical Center
Billing Code: 27447 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 27447
- Insurance Median: $14,000
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.07x 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 $13,116.76 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $4,264 | 33% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $4,391 | 33% |
| Aetna | $4,434 - $13,523 | 34% |
| Amerigroup | $4,434 | 34% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $10,000 | 76% |
| Humana | $14,000 | 107% |
| Wppa | $14,622 - $20,889 | 111% |
| Devoted Health | $14,788 | 113% |
| First Health | $19,232 | 147% |
| Multiplan | $20,042 | 153% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $21,672 | 165% |
| United | $24,722 | 188% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For a total knee replacement at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, KS, the facility's negotiated rates range from $4,264 to $24,722 across 12 different payers, with the median negotiated amount set at $14,000. This commercial rate is 1.1 times the Medicare benchmark of $13,116.76, indicating a markup consistent with typical commercial pricing structures where administrative costs and contract dynamics often inflate the baseline price by 20% to 40% above the true cost of care. While the data does not provide a specific cash or self-pay price to compare directly against the state or county averages, patients should be aware that cash-pay options can sometimes result in lower out-of-pocket costs if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds the facility's cash price, particularly for those with high-deductible plans.
To minimize financial exposure, consumers should proactively request a "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discount before scheduling services, as hospitals often offer fee reductions of 20% to 50% for upfront payment that bypasses costly insurance billing cycles and administrative overhead. Additionally, it is critical to demand a full itemized CPT-coded bill rather than accepting a summary invoice, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as double-billing or unbundled codes that can significantly increase the final charge. If a patient receives a balance bill for out-of-network ancillary services, they should immediately dispute the amount with their insurer and request a No Surprises Act audit, as federal protections generally ban surprise billing for emergency care and non-emergency services provided at in-network facilities.