CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: UPMC St Margaret

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$2,744

about 0.8× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $1,234–$3,262

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$2,494

About the fair price

about $250 under the fair price · 0.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $2,744 This hospital $2,494

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other PA hospitals

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

Cheapest $606 Priciest $2,494

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

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $2,744 (about 0.8× the $3,343 Medicare rate). UPMC St Margaret charges insurers about $2,494 — about the fair price. Located in Pittsburgh, PA.

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	$598	18%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$806 - $6,207	24%
Aetnamajor	$3,248 - $3,403	97%
AmeriHealth	$848	25%
UPMC Health Plan	$598 - $2,671	18%
+ 1 smaller / regional plan	$926 - $3,341

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 UPMC St Margaret 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 UPMC St Margaret

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other PA hospitals

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