CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: Erlanger Medical Center

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$1,007

about 0.3× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $945–$1,755

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$922

About the fair price

about $85 under the fair price · 0.3× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $1,007 This hospital $922 Cash price $606 Hospital's list price $1,147

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other TN hospitals

One of the lower prices — 7 of 8 other TN hospitals charge more for the same procedure.

Cheapest $492 Priciest $2,105

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

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $1,007 (about 0.3× the $3,343 Medicare rate). Erlanger Medical Center charges insurers about $922, or about $606 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Chattanooga, TN.

What each insurance company pays

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

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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna✓ Humana Kaiser 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	$455 - $4,567	14%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$583 - $3,446	17%
Aetnamajor	$687 - $3,066	21%
Cignamajor	$476 - $2,976	14%
Humanamajor	$436 - $2,976	13%
Ambetter (Centene)	$855 - $3,720	26%
Amerigroup	$532 - $1,457	16%
CareSource	$532 - $5,953	16%
Clover Health	$684 - $2,976	20%
Devoted Health	$711 - $3,095	21%
UPMC Health Plan	$684 - $2,976	20%
+ 11 smaller / regional plans	$523 - $7,441

Government programs also on file: Medicare, Medicaid.

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 606), 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 Erlanger 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 Erlanger Medical Center

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other TN hospitals

Metro Nashville General Hospital · Nashville $492
St Jude Childrens Research Hospital · Memphis $1,908
Dekalb Community Hospital · Smithville $1,941
Saint Thomas Highlands Hospital · Sparta $1,941
Stones River Hospital · Woodbury $1,974
Saint Thomas Hickman Hospital · Centerville $1,974
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital · Nashville $1,986
Saint Thomas Hospital for Spinal Surgery · Nashville $2,105

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