CMS Price Transparency Data

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair

Facility: Christus St Michael Health System

Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$3,209

about 1.0× the $3,343 Medicare rate · typically $2,513–$3,338

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$3,185

About the fair price

about $24 under the fair price · 1.0× Medicare

Medicare pays $3,343 Fair price $3,209 This hospital $3,185

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other TX hospitals

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

Cheapest $433 Priciest $3,185

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

A fair price for a Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair is about $3,209 (about 1.0× the $3,343 Medicare rate). Christus St Michael Health System charges insurers about $3,185 — about the fair price. Located in Texarkana, TX.

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	$485 - $10,839	15%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$2,984 - $7,254	89%
Aetnamajor	$3,185 - $4,164	95%
Cignamajor	$9,241	276%
Humanamajor	$3,185 - $6,809	95%
Amerigroup	$1,088 - $3,440	33%
Cigna HealthSpring	$3,185	95%
Healthcare Highways	$4,941	148%
Molina	$1,143 - $3,185	34%
+ 18 smaller / regional plans	$297 - $10,721

Government programs also on file: Medicare, Military & VA.

Excludes 1 rental-network / third-party entry (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, 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 Christus St Michael Health System 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 Christus St Michael Health System

Compare: Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair at other TX hospitals

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