CMS Price Transparency Data

Total knee replacement

Facility: St Joseph Medical Center

Billing Code: 27447 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$21,718

about 1.7× the $13,117 Medicare rate · typically $15,115–$27,322

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$21,833

About the fair price

about $115 over the fair price · 1.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $13,117 Fair price $21,718 This hospital $21,833

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other WA hospitals

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

Cheapest $4,177 Priciest $21,833

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

A fair price for a Total knee replacement is about $21,718 (about 1.7× the $13,117 Medicare rate). St Joseph Medical Center charges insurers about $21,833 — about the fair price. Located in Tacoma, WA.

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✓ Humana✓ Kaiser Permanente Cigna

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	$14,730 - $48,442	112%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$15,021 - $44,042	115%
Aetnamajor	$15,021 - $64,169	115%
Humanamajor	$15,605	119%
Kaiser Permanentemajor	$14,584 - $21,833	111%
Amerigroup	$15,896	121%
Molina	$15,750 - $28,001	120%
+ 5 smaller / regional plans	$14,584 - $29,168

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: 27447.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm St Joseph Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 27447.
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 St Joseph Medical Center

Compare: Total knee replacement at other WA hospitals

Virginia Mason Medical Center · Seattle $4,177
Deaconess Medical Center · Spokane $14,058
Multicare Valley Hospital · Spokane Valley $14,058
Trios Health · Kennewick $14,070
Providence St Lukes Rehabilitation Medical Center · Spokane $14,951
Highline Medical Center · Burien $15,467
Mary Bridge Children's Hospital · Tacoma $15,721
Kadlec Regional Medical Center · Richland $16,453

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