Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair
Facility: Clay County Medical Center
Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 29881
- Insurance Median: $4,012
- Cash Discount Price: $2,773
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.20x 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Health Partners - All Plans | $75 - $4,098 | 2% |
| Multiplan- All Plans | $486 - $4,098 | 15% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $687 - $4,098 | 21% |
| Aetna | $4,012 | 120% |
| Wppa/Providrs Care- All Plans | $4,012 | 120% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at Clay County Medical Center in Clay Center, KS, the cash price is $2,773.00, which matches the facility's median paid amount. This cash rate is significantly lower than the commercial negotiated rates observed for this procedure, with the highest negotiated amount reaching $4,098.00 across multiple payers such as Health Partners and Multiplan. While the facility is a Critical Access Hospital with a government-local ownership structure, patients should be aware that insurance plans often pay higher amounts than cash prices due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics. If you have a high-deductible plan, paying the cash price of $2,773.00 upfront may result in immediate savings compared to your insurance's negotiated rate of up to $4,098.00, provided you can afford the out-of-pocket cost.
To ensure you are not overcharged, it is essential to request an itemized billing audit before finalizing any payment, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors such as unbundled codes or services not rendered. Additionally, if you are concerned about balance billing, remember that the No Surprises Act protects you from being billed the difference between the provider's full chargemaster rate and your insurance allowed amount for emergency care and non-emergency services at in-network facilities. Before scheduling, you should explicitly ask the hospital to classify your account as self-pay to qualify for prompt-pay discounts, which can reduce the bill by 20% to 50%. Comparing this specific procedure's pricing to the broader context, the cash rate remains the most transparent benchmark, whereas commercial rates vary widely among the five