CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$735

about 0.2× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $634–$2,107

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$864

Above the fair price

about $129 over the fair price · 0.3× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $735 This hospital $864 Cash price $2,500 Hospital's list price $2,778

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other MT hospitals

One of the lower prices — 6 of 7 other MT hospitals charge more for the same procedure.

Cheapest $844 Priciest $6,489

Black dot = this hospital, among the 8 MT hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $735 (about 0.2× the $3,343 Medicare rate). Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital charges insurers about $864, or about $2,500 in cash — above the fair price. Located in Glasgow, MT.

This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less

Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $735. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

4 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Cigna✓ Humana AetnaKaiser 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	$516 - $826	15%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$593 - $2,276	18%
Cignamajor	$1,014	30%
Humanamajor	$593	18%
GEHA	$2,584	77%
+ 7 smaller / regional plans	$516 - $2,639

Excludes 2 rental-network / third-party entries (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

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 2,500), 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 Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital 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 Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other MT hospitals

Central Montana Medical Center · Lewistown $844
Livingston Healthcare · Livingston $868
Sidney Health Center · Sidney $889
St James Hospital · Butte $3,342
St. Patrick Hospital · Missoula $3,443
Great Falls Clinic Hospital · Great Falls $6,320
Intermountain Health St Vincent Regional Hospital · Billings $6,489

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