CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: Samaritan Medical Center

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$3,048

about 0.9× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $1,122–$4,340

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$4,084

Above the fair price

about $1,036 over the fair price · 1.2× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $3,048 This hospital $4,084

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NY hospitals

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

Cheapest $515 Priciest $4,084

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

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $3,048 (about 0.9× the $3,343 Medicare rate). Samaritan Medical Center charges insurers about $4,084 — above the fair price. Located in Watertown, NY.

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 $3,048. 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.

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	$4,207	126%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$751 - $18,747	22%
Aetnamajor	$4,166 - $11,220	125%
CDPHP	$4,084 - $6,187	122%
Fidelis Care	$490 - $4,697	15%
MVP Health Care	$4,289	128%
WellCare	$490 - $4,084	15%
+ 1 smaller / regional plan	$465

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, 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 Samaritan Medical Center 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 Samaritan Medical Center

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other NY hospitals

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