University Health System, Inc
1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920 · 123 Priced Procedures · 76% Patient Recommendation
Typical commercial prices here are 10% below the fair benchmark (0.90×) after accounting for local nurse/doctor wages and patient complexity.
3-Star CMS clinical quality rating paired with 0.90× fair market pricing.
Uniform Value Leader · Low-Cost Across Departments
University Health System, Inc maintains low, disciplined commercial pricing across both routine shoppable procedures (0.8× Medicare, p50 0.83× Fair BaseRate) and emergency/ancillary services (1.0× Medicare, p75 0.98× Fair BaseRate). Both insured and self-pay patients benefit from below-benchmark rates across departments.
Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)
- Elective shoppable care is priced 10% below peer Fair BaseRate (0.90×)
- Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 66% of shoppable procedures (99/100 Cash Honesty)
- 4-Star CMS clinical rating with 76% patient recommendation (66/100 safety score)
- IRS 501(c)(3) charity care provides free care up to 200% FPL and discounted care up to 400% FPL (42.1% AGB cap)
Where You Can Get Burned (Markup Traps)
- Even at low-cost facilities (0.90× Fair BaseRate), out-of-network or unnegotiated chargemaster bills can exceed commercial medians — confirm in-network status or request a self-pay cash quote up front.
- Captive ER (0.5×) & laboratory (0.5×) services average 1.25× higher multiples than routine shoppable care (0.8×)
- Upper-quartile procedures (Q75 0.98×) jump +18% above the median procedure ratio (Q50 0.83×)
- Unnegotiated chargemaster list prices average 8.8× Medicare (19¢ true HCRIS cost per $1 gross)
Pre-scheduled outpatient procedures where patients can comparison-shop.
Emergency, inpatient DRG, lab, and specialty drug lines billed after admission.
Detects median-gaming when upper-quartile codes spike above the p50 median.
Procedure Prices at University Health System, Inc
High-impact clinical procedures (MRIs, surgeries, inpatient stays, visits) are prioritized first. Use the category pills or search bar to filter all 123 published procedures.
| Procedure & Billing Code | This Hospital | vs. Fair |
|---|---|---|
| Total hip replacement CPT Code: 27130 | $9,668 | 0.7× |
| Total knee replacement CPT Code: 27447 | $9,668 | 0.7× |
| Gallbladder removal (laparoscopic) CPT Code: 47562 | $3,930 | 0.6× |
| Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair CPT Code: 29881 | $2,963 | 0.9× |
| Bunion correction surgery CPT Code: 28296 | $2,963 | 0.9× |
| C-section delivery (full package) CPT Code: 59510 | $2,460 | 0.8× |
| Vaginal delivery (full package) CPT Code: 59400 | $2,186 | 0.8× |
| Cataract surgery with lens implant CPT Code: 66984 | $2,083 | 0.8× |
| Inguinal hernia repair CPT Code: 49505 | $1,298 | 0.4× |
| Trauma team activation HCPCS Code: G0390 | $1,208 | 0.8× |
| Breast lump removal CPT Code: 19120 | $819 | 0.2× |
| Colonoscopy (diagnostic) CPT Code: 45378 | $779 | 0.8× |
| Colonoscopy with biopsy CPT Code: 45380 | $744 | 0.6× |
| Injection procedure for pain management HCPCS Code: G0260 | $645 | 0.8× |
| Upper endoscopy with biopsy CPT Code: 43239 | $495 | 0.5× |
| Blood transfusion CPT Code: 36430 | $399 | 0.8× |
| Psychological testing by technician CPT Code: 96138 | $364 | 0.9× |
| CT scan, abdomen and pelvis (with contrast) CPT Code: 74177 | $336 | 0.8× |
| MRI, brain (with and without contrast) CPT Code: 70553 | $344 | 0.7× |
| Rabies immune globulin HCPCS Code: 90375 | $278 | 0.9× |
| Sleep study (overnight, in lab) CPT Code: 95810 | $299 | unverified |
| CT scan, abdomen and pelvis (no contrast) CPT Code: 74176 | $221 | 0.7× |
| MRI, lower back (no contrast) CPT Code: 72148 | $231 | 0.7× |
| MRI, brain (no contrast) CPT Code: 70551 | $231 | 0.7× |
| MRI, knee or other leg joint CPT Code: 73721 | $231 | 0.6× |
Audit a Bill or Quote at University Health System, Inc (Zero PHI Required)
Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $9,766
At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (42.1% of gross = $9,766).
Compare Prompt-Pay Cash Rate Against Remaining Deductible
Ask University Health System, Inc's billing desk for their written 45 CFR § 180 discounted self-pay cash price and Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act.
Negotiate Toward $13,413 Fair BaseRate ($13,117 Medicare)
Your bill ($23,203) is $9,790 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($13,413) and 1.8× the $13,117 Medicare rate.
Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) & Amounts Generally Billed (AGB)
Hospital-Specific CMS HCRIS Benchmark (42.1% of gross charges)
Under 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5), a tax-exempt hospital organization may not bill FAP-eligible patients more than Amounts Generally Billed (AGB) to individuals with insurance covering emergency or medically necessary care. Derived from this facility’s reported CMS HCRIS cost-to-charge & insurer allowance filings. Verify your exact Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) determination directly with the billing office.
Clinical Quality, Patient Experience & Infection Benchmarks
Healthcare-Associated Infections (CDC NHSN / CMS HAI)
1.00 SIR = National Predicted Baseline (Lower Is Safer)Source: CMS Hospital Care Compare (2,066 completed HCAHPS patient surveys). Clinical quality metrics summarize historical facility-wide cohorts and are not medical advice for individual care decisions.
How to Pay Less Nearby: Freestanding Centers, Insurer Leverage & Outpatient Savings
2D regional comparison of commercial negotiated price index against CMS clinical quality composite for University Health System, Inc.
Notable Payer Contract Outliers (SVD Matrix Anomalies)
Verify the Raw Data: Official Hospital MRF, CMS Medicare.gov & Federal Filings
Safe-Harbor Data Corrections: Parsed directly from public 45 CFR § 180 hospital filings, CMS Care Compare, and CMS HCRIS cost reports. Hospital compliance officers may submit updated MRF URLs or rate tables for verification.