CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: The University Hospital

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$3,693

about 1.1× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $2,730–$4,735

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$3,701

About the fair price

about $8 over the fair price · 1.1× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $3,693 This hospital $3,701 Cash price $4,256 Hospital's list price $9,594

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NJ hospitals

Highest price of the 9 NJ hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $1,120 Priciest $3,701

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 NJ hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $3,693 (about 1.1× the $3,343 Medicare rate). The University Hospital charges insurers about $3,701, or about $4,256 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Newark, NJ.

What each insurance company pays

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

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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna CignaHumanaKaiser 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	$2,817 - $3,701	84%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$2,873	86%
Aetnamajor	$2,817 - $6,040	84%
AmeriHealth	$1,050 - $3,701	31%
Clover Health	$3,701	111%
Fidelis Care	$2,817 - $3,701	84%
Health Net	$9,115	273%
+ 6 smaller / regional plans	$741 - $8,635

Excludes 3 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 4,256), 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 The University 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 The University Hospital

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other NJ hospitals

St Joseph's University Medical Center Inc · Paterson $1,120
Newton Medical Center · Newton $3,545
Capital Health Regional Medical Center · Trenton $3,546
Centrastate Medical Center · Freehold $3,591
Jfk University Medical Center · Edison $3,594
Trinitas Regional Medical Center · Elizabeth $3,617
Carewell Health Medical Center · East Orange $3,640
Inspira Medical Center Vineland · Vineland $3,681

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