How much do surgery procedures cost?

Medicare benchmark rates for common surgery procedures range from $564.32 to $1,443.22. Commercial insurers typically pay 1.2–2× these rates. Your actual cost depends on your plan, deductible, and whether the provider is in network.

How do I know if my surgery bill is too high?

Compare the amount you were charged to the Medicare benchmark for that specific CPT code. If your bill is more than about 2–3× the Medicare rate, it may be worth requesting an itemized bill and negotiating or appealing.

Surgery Costs

Medicare benchmark rates for 4 common surgery procedures, ranging from $564.32 to $1,443.22. Use these as a reference to check whether your bill is fair.

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Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (Gallbladder Removal)CPT 47562$649.87Medicare rate Total Knee Replacement (Arthroplasty)CPT 27447$1,318.45Medicare rate Total Hip Replacement (Arthroplasty)CPT 27130$1,443.22Medicare rate Knee Arthroscopy with MeniscectomyCPT 29881$564.32Medicare rate

Understanding surgery costs

Surgery is billed under a global surgical package: a single price that already includes the operation, routine pre-operative evaluation, and normal post-operative care for a defined period (often 90 days for major surgery). The biggest cost problems are paying separately for care the global package covers, plus assistant-surgeon and multiple-procedure charges that have their own rules.

For surgery services, commercial insurers typically pay between $677.18 and $2,886.44 across this category — roughly 1.2 to 2 times Medicare. If you were billed significantly more than the commercial range for your specific procedure, the excess may be negotiable.

Click any procedure above to see its detailed Medicare rate, the typical commercial range, and specific steps for disputing an overcharge.

Common billing problems with surgery charges

Post-operative visits billed inside the global period

Routine post-surgical follow-up during the global period is already paid for. Separate office-visit charges for normal recovery care may be inappropriate.

Assistant surgeon charges that are not supported

Not every procedure justifies an assistant surgeon, and assistant services are paid at a reduced rate. An unsupported or full-price assistant charge is worth reviewing.

Multiple-procedure reductions not applied

When several procedures are performed in one session, secondary procedures are typically reduced. If each procedure was billed at full price, the reduction may have been missed.

How to push back on a surgery charge

Ask for the operative report and the global-period rules for your procedure. Confirm that follow-up care, assistant-surgeon billing, and multiple-procedure reductions were all handled correctly before paying.

Rates shown are 2024 CMS Medicare national average payment rates and are provided for informational purposes only. Actual payments vary by geographic area, facility type, and payer contract. This is not medical or financial advice.