Knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair
Facility: Wamego Health Center
Billing Code: 29881 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 29881
- Insurance Median: $473
- Cash Discount Price: Unavailable
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 0.14x Medicare
Average discount available for prompt cash payment at this facility.
Median negotiated contract rate across all mapped commercial carriers.
Standard federal government reimbursement rate for this code.
Visual Cost Comparison vs. Medicare
Understanding this gauge: We use the federal Medicare rate of $3,342.87 as the cost baseline. Rates below the baseline represent excellent value. In-network commercial rates commonly hover around 150% - 250% of Medicare, while rates exceeding 300% are elevated. Hover over the green and blue markers to view detailed calculations.
Out-of-Pocket Cost Estimator
Estimate whether it is more economical to use your insurance or pay the upfront self-pay cash rate.
Commercial Insurance Negotiated Rates
Negotiated contract ranges established by major commercial carriers at this facility.
| Carrier / Plan Group | Contract Rate Range | vs. Medicare Reference |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $450 | 13% |
| Medicaid / KanCare | $468 - $472 | 14% |
| Aetna | $468 | 14% |
| Providrs Care | $662 | 20% |
| Tricare | $2,112 | 63% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $4,722 - $4,970 | 141% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For the CPT code 29881, representing a knee arthroscopy with meniscus repair, the facility's negotiated rates vary significantly depending on your insurance carrier. While Medicaid/KanCare and Aetna have a consistent range of $468 to $472, Blue Cross Blue Shield offers a much wider range of $4,722 to $4,970 across two plans. It is important to note that these commercial negotiated rates are substantially higher than the Medicare benchmark of $3,342.87, which serves as the federal baseline for the true cost of this procedure. In this specific case, the cash median and median paid amounts are not available in the current data, so patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount directly with the billing department before scheduling.
Patients should be aware that while commercial insurance contracts often result in higher out-of-pocket costs than cash prices due to administrative overhead and network tiering, the facility may offer prompt-pay discounts for those who choose to pay self-pay upfront. Since the cash price is not listed, you should explicitly ask the hospital for their self-pay or prompt-pay rates prior to check-in to ensure you are not paying the full negotiated amount. Additionally, if you are concerned about balance billing, remember that the No Surprises Act protects you from being billed the difference between the facility's chargemaster and your insurance allowed amount for out-of-network services at in-network facilities, though you should always request an itemized bill to verify that all charges correspond to services actually rendered.