Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair
Facility: Kingman Healthcare Center
Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 29881
- Insurance Median: $494
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.15x 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Triwest | $487 | 15% |
| Healthy Blue | $494 | 15% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $494 | 15% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at Kingman Healthcare Center in Kingman, Kansas, the negotiated rate is $494.00, which aligns exactly with the lowest and highest reported amounts across all three payers: Triwest, Healthy Blue, and Medicaid/KanCare. This facility, a Critical Access Hospital, does not offer a cash median or a specific negotiated rate lower than the insurance payments, meaning patients with high-deductible plans might find the cash price to be more affordable if available, though no cash rate is listed in this dataset. Since the facility is a Critical Access Hospital, it is subject to federal payment limits that often keep rates close to Medicare benchmarks, and the data shows no significant variance between the payer amounts, suggesting a standardized billing structure for this procedure in this region.
Patients should be aware that while the negotiated rate is fixed at $494.00, they should still inquire about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final cost by 20% to 50%. If you have a balance bill or receive a summary invoice, you should request a full itemized audit to identify any unbundled codes or services not rendered, as over 80% of hospital bills contain errors that can be corrected. It is important to compare this rate against the Medicare amount of $3,342.87 to understand the markup, as commercial rates often exceed Medicare by a significant margin due to administrative overhead and contract dynamics, even when the final negotiated price appears consistent across different insurance plans.