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Reviewed by John Caruso, FSA, MAAA • Data last updated

ACL Surgery Cost in Iowa (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a acl surgery cost in Iowa?

Where you have an acl surgery done in Iowa swings the bill from $2,281 to $6,112 for identical care. The median cash price across 49 reporting hospitals is $2,983. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

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Where acl surgery costs vary in Iowa

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

26+ people checked prices near them this month.

What you pay for a acl surgery depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

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Cheapest ACL Surgery Providers in Iowa

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs median ($2,983)
1 St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Centerville Centerville, IA $1,878 $1,105 below
2 Mary Greeley Medical Center IA $1,899 $1,084 below
3 WAVERLY HEALTH CENTER IA $2,043 $940 below
4 MADISON COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IA $2,080 $903 below
5 Humboldt County Memorial Hospital Humboldt, IA $2,085 $898 below
6 Covenant Medical Center Inc Waterloo, IA $2,153 $830 below
7 Sartori Memorial Hospital Inc Cedar Falls, IA $2,153 $830 below
8 Clarke County Public Hospital Osceola, IA $2,177 $806 below

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Before you book: three questions that change the price

  1. Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
  2. Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
  3. What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost →  ·  When the bills arrive, we check them for errors →

Quick take

  • St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Centerville is the lowest-cost option at $1,878 - $1,105 below the median posted price ($2,983), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $2,883, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Freestanding ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) are often 30-60% cheaper than hospital outpatient departments for the same procedure and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset - ask your doctor if one is an option.
ACL Surgery prices by coverage in Iowa, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$7,413 to $7,413$7,413
With insurance (commercial, average)24$1,553 to $14,982$7,415
Without insurance (cash price)48$1,871 to $6,811$2,883
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield8$1,867 to $2,064$1,908
UnitedHealthcare17$2,243 to $19,227$15,062
Aetna16$1,553 to $17,429$14,997
Cigna4$1,863 to $3,626$2,861

Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.

How much does an ACL Surgery cost with Medicare in Iowa?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for ACL Surgery is about $7,413 to $7,413 (typically near $7,413). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $1,483 on a $7,413 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.

How much does an ACL Surgery cost with insurance in Iowa?

Across 24 Iowa hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for ACL Surgery average $1,553 to $14,982 per hospital, with a median near $7,415. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.

Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.

How much does an ACL Surgery cost without insurance in Iowa?

Cash (self-pay) prices for ACL Surgery at 48 Iowa hospitals range from $1,871 to $6,811, with a median of $2,883. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.

Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.

How much does an ACL Surgery cost with Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Iowa?

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for ACL Surgery at 8 Iowa hospitals range from $1,867 to $2,064, with a median near $1,908. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.

Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.

How much does an ACL Surgery cost with UnitedHealthcare in Iowa?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for ACL Surgery at 17 Iowa hospitals range from $2,243 to $19,227, with a median near $15,062. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does an ACL Surgery cost with Aetna in Iowa?

Aetna negotiated rates for ACL Surgery at 16 Iowa hospitals range from $1,553 to $17,429, with a median near $14,997. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How much does an ACL Surgery cost with Cigna in Iowa?

Cigna negotiated rates for ACL Surgery at 4 Iowa hospitals range from $1,863 to $3,626, with a median near $2,861. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.

How where you go changes what you pay for acl surgery

The same acl surgery bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.

Hospital Outpatient
$2,264–$64,374
  • Facility fee $806–$60,486
  • Professional fee $1,458–$3,888

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$3,336–$64,374
  • Facility fee $1,878–$60,486
  • Professional fee $1,458–$3,888

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Iowa's hospital market is dominated by UnityPoint Health and MercyOne (CommonSpirit), with relatively limited inter-system competition in most markets. Des Moines prices run below national averages, but facility fees at affiliated hospital systems can add substantially to the base service rates. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is the primary academic referral center.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (4) report prices above $12,434, including Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center INC at $11,006, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $2,983 versus $2,296 inpatient, so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick. Setting drives most of the spread here: an ambulatory surgical center (ASC) is usually meaningfully cheaper than a hospital operating room for the same procedure, when your case qualifies.

What you pay out of pocket on top of this depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved is in-network - not just the facility.

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met ~$2,983
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$597
Out-of-network provider $6,563+

Frequently asked questions: ACL Surgery costs in Iowa

How much does an ACL Surgery cost in Iowa?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $876, with most facilities between $806 and $2,362 (based on 48 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Iowa hospitals run $1,871–$6,811; outlier facilities above and below that range are left out. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get an ACL Surgery in Iowa?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Iowa data is St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Centerville in Centerville at about $1,878. By metro, Waterloo has the lowest median ($4,037). Freestanding ambulatory surgery centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is an ACL Surgery so much cheaper at some Iowa hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 2.9× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Iowa, the median cash (self-pay) price is $2,883 versus a median negotiated rate of $7,415 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for an ACL Surgery in Iowa?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Before you book

Other procedures in Iowa

ACL Surgery, elsewhere

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).

Other Procedure Costs in Iowa

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Scopes and screening

General surgery

Lab tests

Ear, nose and throat

Urology and women's health

Eye care

Infusions

Emergency care

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About the Author

John Caruso, FSA, MAAA

Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.

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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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