CMS Price Transparency Data

Spinal fusion, single level (inpatient stay)

Facility: Valley Medical Center

Billing Code: 451 (MS-DRG)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$38,764

about 1.6× the $23,504 Medicare rate · typically $29,194–$65,042

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$29,392

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $9,372 under the fair price · 1.3× Medicare

Medicare pays $23,504 Fair price $38,764 This hospital $29,392 Cash price $92,031 Hospital's list price $131,472

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other WA hospitals

One of the lower prices — 6 of 8 other WA hospitals charge more for the same procedure.

Cheapest $18,516 Priciest $32,605

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

⚠ The cash price looks unusually high next to the insurance price — it may be the full list price, not a real cash discount. Call to confirm the self-pay rate.

A fair price for a Spinal fusion, single level (inpatient stay) is about $38,764 (about 1.6× the $23,504 Medicare rate). Valley Medical Center charges insurers about $29,392, or about $92,031 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Renton, WA.

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✓ Aetna✓ Cigna Blue Cross Blue ShieldHumanaKaiser 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	$29,101	124%
Aetnamajor	$29,392	125%
Cignamajor	$46,389	197%

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 92,031), 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 MS-DRG code on your bill matches exactly: 451.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Valley Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for MS-DRG code 451.
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 Valley Medical Center

Compare: Spinal fusion, single level (inpatient stay) at other WA hospitals

Prosser Memorial Hospital · Prosser $18,516
Trios Health · Kennewick $24,790
Providence St Mary Medical Center · Walla Walla $29,774
Providence Holy Family Hospital · Spokane $30,306
Providence Centralia Hospital · Centralia $31,095
Swedish Issaquah · Issaquah $31,096
Kadlec Regional Medical Center · Richland $31,804
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett · Everett $32,605

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