Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures
In 2024, Medicare and patients paid an average of $17,392 per procedure at 1,481 hospitals. Half of hospitals averaged between $16,055 and $18,131.
Also known as: Orthopedic surgery, arthroscopy, outpatient joint surgery
National figures, 2024
- Average payment per case
- $17,392
- Typical range (middle half of hospitals)
- $16,055–$18,131
- Medicare’s share
- $15,763
- Average billed charge
- $97,523
- Hospitals reporting
- 1,481
Compare hospitals
Narrow by a state, city or ZIP code (optionally a distance around it), and/or pick specific hospitals. With both, your picks are added to the area’s hospitals.
1,479 hospitals reported at least 11 Medicare procedures for this in 2024; showing 1,201–1,250. Download as CSV
| Hospital | Cases | Average payment | vs national average | Medicare paid | Billed charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vail Health Hospital | 263 | $18,956 | About average | $17,323 | $74,501 |
| Valley View Hospital Association | 43 | $18,956 | About average | $17,323 | $91,862 |
| Delta County Memorial Hospital | 16 | $18,956 | About average | $17,309 | $53,927 |
| Jersey Shore University Medical Center | 71 | $18,967 | About average | $17,334 | $84,999 |
| Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester | 393 | $18,974 | About average | $17,342 | $59,302 |
| Evergreenhealth Medical Center | 32 | $18,987 | About average | $17,355 | $52,236 |
| Highline Medical Center | 12 | $18,987 | About average | $17,355 | $202,991 |
| Swedish Edmonds Hospital | 11 | $18,987 | About average | $17,355 | $112,889 |
| Swedish Issaquah | 44 | $18,987 | About average | $17,355 | $84,805 |
| Valley Medical Center | 65 | $18,987 | About average | $17,355 | $79,389 |
| Providence Regional Medical Center Everett | 33 | $18,987 | About average | $17,353 | $100,177 |
| Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital | 113 | $18,994 | About average | $17,362 | $56,255 |
| George Washington University Hospital | 76 | $19,023 | About average | $17,406 | $147,133 |
| MedStar Washington Hospital Center | 12 | $19,023 | About average | $17,391 | $92,397 |
| Sibley Memorial Hospital | 51 | $19,023 | About average | $17,388 | $65,239 |
| Mayo Clinic Health System - Mankato | 42 | $19,057 | About average | $17,425 | $40,990 |
| Mercy Medical Center | 15 | $19,066 | About average | $17,434 | $77,585 |
| Sacred Heart Medical Center - Riverbend | 65 | $19,066 | About average | $17,430 | $88,562 |
| North Shore University Hospital | 21 | $19,083 | About average | $17,451 | $80,017 |
| Hunterdon Medical Center | 41 | $19,086 | About average | $17,474 | $59,615 |
| Southern Hills Hospital And Medical Center | 42 | $19,097 | About average | $17,465 | $217,805 |
| Yavapai Regional Medical Center | 57 | $19,104 | About average | $17,472 | $84,466 |
| Falmouth Hospital | 22 | $19,132 | 10% above the national average | $17,500 | $44,504 |
| St Clare Hospital | 13 | $19,155 | 10% above the national average | $17,523 | $123,505 |
| St Joseph Medical Center | 12 | $19,155 | 10% above the national average | $17,523 | $127,792 |
| Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital | 54 | $19,156 | 10% above the national average | $17,520 | $100,617 |
| Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital | 33 | $19,156 | 10% above the national average | $17,516 | $87,334 |
| Virtua Mount Holly Hospital | 52 | $19,159 | 10% above the national average | $17,527 | $191,104 |
| Flagstaff Medical Center | 113 | $19,173 | 10% above the national average | $17,547 | $51,479 |
| Albany Medical Center Hospital | 34 | $19,179 | 10% above the national average | $17,547 | $34,480 |
| Providence Alaska Medical Center | 22 | $19,190 | 10% above the national average | $17,558 | $90,998 |
| Monmouth Medical Center | 78 | $19,243 | 11% above the national average | $17,605 | $61,896 |
| West Jersey Hospital | 75 | $19,264 | 11% above the national average | $17,632 | $181,471 |
| St Charles Medical Center - Bend | 95 | $19,268 | 11% above the national average | $17,633 | $72,266 |
| Ocean Medical Center | 86 | $19,273 | 11% above the national average | $17,641 | $82,353 |
| Salem Hospital | 83 | $19,294 | 11% above the national average | $17,662 | $97,725 |
| Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center | 62 | $19,302 | 11% above the national average | $17,670 | $54,595 |
| Kaleida Health | 46 | $19,318 | 11% above the national average | $17,684 | $53,632 |
| Tufts Medical Center | 29 | $19,333 | 11% above the national average | $17,701 | $52,054 |
| McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center | 56 | $19,338 | 11% above the national average | $17,702 | $101,541 |
| HealthAlliance Hospital Marys Avenue Campus | 25 | $19,363 | 11% above the national average | $17,723 | $51,395 |
| St Joseph's Hospital Health Center | 52 | $19,363 | 11% above the national average | $17,731 | $55,017 |
| Brigham And Women's Hospital | 33 | $19,410 | 12% above the national average | $17,778 | $74,537 |
| Yuma Regional Medical Center | 46 | $19,416 | 12% above the national average | $17,784 | $104,046 |
| Canyon Vista Medical Center | 13 | $19,416 | 12% above the national average | $17,784 | $130,738 |
| Verde Valley Medical Center | 15 | $19,416 | 12% above the national average | $17,784 | $51,418 |
| Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center | 60 | $19,416 | 12% above the national average | $17,783 | $88,192 |
| Erie County Medical Center | 62 | $19,419 | 12% above the national average | $17,787 | $33,633 |
| AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center - City Campus | 59 | $19,463 | 12% above the national average | $17,831 | $117,908 |
| Cape Regional Medical Center Inc | 11 | $19,463 | 12% above the national average | $17,831 | $71,747 |
National trend
Average payment and billed charge per procedure, and how many Medicare procedures were reported each year.
- Average payment
- Average billed charge
View data as a table
| Year of care | Average payment | Average billed charge |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $15K | $75K |
| 2021 | $15K | $116K |
| 2022 | $16K | $92K |
| 2023 | $21K | $112K |
| 2024 | $17K | $98K |
By state, 2024
Case-weighted average payment across each state’s reporting hospitals, lowest first.
Show all 50 states
| State | Hospitals | Cases | Average payment | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 3 | 119 | $8,999 | $8,453–$10,624 |
| Alabama | 25 | 1,210 | $15,164 | $14,755–$15,349 |
| Utah | 23 | 1,080 | $15,193 | $16,244–$16,659 |
| Tennessee | 33 | 2,084 | $15,325 | $15,130–$15,866 |
| Mississippi | 14 | 683 | $15,430 | $15,026–$15,570 |
| Louisiana | 30 | 1,108 | $15,576 | $15,464–$15,754 |
| West Virginia | 12 | 558 | $15,715 | $14,973–$15,721 |
| Oklahoma | 30 | 1,351 | $15,834 | $15,611–$16,023 |
| Arkansas | 21 | 1,202 | $15,872 | $15,523–$16,345 |
| South Carolina | 30 | 1,929 | $15,906 | $15,619–$16,100 |
| Ohio | 73 | 3,030 | $15,978 | $15,826–$16,279 |
| Kentucky | 22 | 1,410 | $16,042 | $15,742–$16,096 |
| Kansas | 23 | 1,240 | $16,065 | $15,767–$16,241 |
| Iowa | 20 | 1,326 | $16,087 | $15,847–$16,340 |
| Missouri | 35 | 1,775 | $16,103 | $15,799–$16,551 |
| Virginia | 41 | 2,439 | $16,328 | $15,963–$17,432 |
| Texas | 127 | 5,228 | $16,373 | $16,124–$16,789 |
| Michigan | 44 | 1,746 | $16,380 | $15,785–$17,123 |
| Georgia | 42 | 1,898 | $16,409 | $15,899–$17,257 |
| North Carolina | 45 | 2,608 | $16,492 | $16,184–$16,710 |
| Indiana | 47 | 2,034 | $16,575 | $16,509–$16,797 |
| Florida | 86 | 5,085 | $16,629 | $16,634–$16,845 |
| Nebraska | 16 | 1,011 | $16,771 | $16,741–$16,936 |
| Wisconsin | 38 | 1,368 | $16,885 | $16,647–$17,067 |
| Idaho | 13 | 741 | $16,900 | $16,735–$17,428 |
| New Mexico | 9 | 300 | $17,126 | $15,882–$17,343 |
| Maine | 7 | 292 | $17,280 | $16,837–$17,471 |
| Pennsylvania | 65 | 3,133 | $17,344 | $16,610–$17,938 |
| Illinois | 56 | 2,463 | $17,391 | $17,185–$17,654 |
| North Dakota | 6 | 437 | $17,467 | $17,235–$18,360 |
| South Dakota | 10 | 790 | $17,472 | $17,281–$18,289 |
| Montana | 9 | 516 | $17,606 | $17,193–$18,232 |
| Colorado | 37 | 2,121 | $17,744 | $17,468–$17,701 |
| Minnesota | 27 | 1,383 | $18,117 | $17,504–$18,536 |
| Wyoming | 8 | 289 | $18,154 | $18,579–$18,669 |
| New Hampshire | 11 | 403 | $18,184 | $17,654–$18,332 |
| Arizona | 37 | 2,369 | $18,231 | $17,996–$18,131 |
| Delaware | 5 | 457 | $18,546 | $18,654–$18,654 |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 157 | $18,657 | $18,634–$18,765 |
| District of Columbia | 4 | 199 | $18,848 | $18,878–$19,023 |
| Washington | 33 | 1,628 | $19,062 | $18,661–$19,156 |
| Alaska | 3 | 180 | $19,345 | $18,819–$19,653 |
| New Jersey | 28 | 1,653 | $19,847 | $19,222–$20,663 |
| Oregon | 20 | 929 | $19,883 | $19,066–$19,507 |
| Massachusetts | 34 | 1,711 | $19,887 | $19,966–$19,966 |
| New York | 51 | 1,970 | $19,922 | $19,552–$20,841 |
| Nevada | 9 | 617 | $19,943 | $19,802–$19,910 |
| Connecticut | 16 | 778 | $20,733 | $20,681–$20,925 |
| Hawaii | 3 | 70 | $21,247 | $21,066–$22,304 |
| California | 97 | 4,332 | $23,412 | $22,851–$23,737 |
About these numbers
Average payment is what Medicare paid plus the patient’s deductible and coinsurance (and any other insurer), averaged over the hospital’s Medicare cases. It covers the hospital’s part of the care; doctors bill separately. For outpatient procedures it is Medicare’s allowed amount, which leaves out extra “outlier” payments for unusually costly cases; those are shown under the hospital name where CMS reported any, and included in the CSV. Billed charges are the hospital’s list prices, which few patients pay.
Medicare sets its payments by formula, adjusting for local wages, teaching programs, the share of low-income patients and unusually costly cases. Those adjustments drive most differences between hospitals, so a lower payment doesn’t mean better or worse care, and Medicare patients’ own costs usually vary much less than the totals. Private insurance pays different, usually higher, prices.
Source: CMS Medicare Outpatient Hospitals by Provider and Service (Medicare fee-for-service claims). CMS omits hospitals with fewer than 11 procedures. More in the glossary.