Cholecystectomy Cost in Iowa (2026 Price Guide)
What does a cholecystectomy cost in Iowa?
You could pay $1,614 or $2,032 for the same cholecystectomy in Iowa — depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 40 reporting hospitals is $1,676. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law.
- Bottom 25% of hospitals: under $1,614
- Median: $1,676
- Above median (top 30%): $2,032+
- Patient A (high-cost facility): ~$2,032
- Patient B (lower-cost facility): ~$1,614
Cheapest Cholecystectomy Providers in Iowa
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Greater Regional Medical Center | IA | $1,530 | -$146 |
| 6 | MERCY MEDICAL CENTER - CEDAR RAPIDS | IA | $1,555 | -$121 |
| 7 | Gundersen Health System | West Union, IA | $1,565 | -$111 |
| 8 | Mercy Medical Center-Clinton Inc | Clinton, IA | $1,577 | -$99 |
| 9 | Trinity Regional Medical Center | Fort Dodge, IA | $1,614 | -$62 |
| 10 | UnityPoint Health Marshalltown | Marshalltown, IA | $1,614 | -$62 |
| 11 | Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation | Waterloo, IA | $1,614 | -$62 |
| 12 | The Finley Hospital | Dubuque, IA | $1,614 | -$62 |
Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
The facility you choose matters more than almost anything else — the same procedure, same quality, same state can cost 5× more at one hospital versus the one down the road.
→ Compare all procedure costs → Cholecystectomy costs nationwide
Check YOUR hospital's pricing → Estimate YOUR exact cost →
What you'll actually pay — example scenarios
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met (pay in full) | ~$1,676 |
| Deductible met — 20% coinsurance | ~$335 |
| Out-of-network provider | $3,687+ |
Based on the state median of $1,676. Your actual cost depends on your plan deductible, coinsurance rate, and network tier. Get YOUR personalized estimate →
What this means for you
If you haven't met your deductible, you are effectively a cash-pay patient.
That means:
- You should shop prices directly — the same way you'd compare any major purchase
- Insurance may not get you a better deal than the cash price
- The cheapest facility can save you $1,142+ vs. the median.
This is the single biggest lever most patients have to reduce their cost.
Lower-cost options in Iowa start around $1,614 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $1,614 and $2,101. A smaller group reports prices above that — often academic medical centers or high-cost markets.
If you're comparing specific hospitals, the lowest self-pay rates reported in this dataset include: Dallas County Hospital in Perry (cash price from $1,524); Gundersen Health System in West Union (cash price from $1,565); Mercy Medical Center-Clinton Inc in Clinton (cash price from $1,577). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
Where cholecystectomy costs vary in Iowa
Each pin represents a hospital that filed price transparency data. Green pins are below the state cash-price average; red are above. Click any pin for facility name and price details.
Estimate YOUR exact out-of-pocket cost →
- Best value hospitals (lowest prices): Greene County Medical Center: $534; Buena Vista Regional Medical Center: $1,505; Great River Health: $1,511
- Most expensive: Sanford Sheldon Medical Center: ~$8,080; OTTUMWA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER: ~$6,800
→ Choosing the right facility can save $1,142+ vs. the state median.
Iowa Cholecystectomy prices by facility
All prices below come from hospital chargemasters — the official price lists each hospital must publish under federal law. Gross charge is the undiscounted list price; cash price is the self-pay rate; negotiated range covers the spread across insurance contracts.
- Cash price — the self-pay rate you can actually negotiate and pay
- Negotiated rate — if reported by the hospital across insurance contracts
- Gross charge — fallback only; this is the inflated list price few people pay
This reflects the real prices patients encounter — not inflated chargemaster rates.
| # | Facility | City | Your Price | vs Median | Gross Charge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| #1 | Greene County Medical Center | Jefferson, IA | $534 | -$1,142 | $1,952–$2,213 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #2 | Buena Vista Regional Medical Center | IA | $1,505 | -$171 | $1,882–$20,375 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #3 | Great River Health | IA | $1,511 | -$165 | $1,474–$19,931 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #4 | Dallas County Hospital | Perry, IA | $1,524 | -$152 | $2,039–$17,580 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #5 | Greater Regional Medical Center | IA | $1,530 | -$146 | $2,187–$4,513 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #6 | MERCY MEDICAL CENTER - CEDAR RAPIDS | IA | $1,555 | -$121 | $2,593–$2,727 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #7 | Gundersen Health System | West Union, IA | $1,565 | -$111 | $1,565–$14,379 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #8 | Mercy Medical Center-Clinton Inc | Clinton, IA | $1,577 | -$99 | $1,451–$40,537 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #9 | Trinity Regional Medical Center | Fort Dodge, IA | $1,614 | -$62 | $2,018–$27,321 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #10 | UnityPoint Health Marshalltown | Marshalltown, IA | $1,614 | -$62 | $2,018–$18,297 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #11 | Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation | Waterloo, IA | $1,614 | -$62 | $2,018–$28,372 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #12 | The Finley Hospital | Dubuque, IA | $1,614 | -$62 | $2,018–$24,052 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #13 | Trinity Medical Center | Bettendorf, IA | $1,614 | -$62 | $2,018–$26,737 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #14 | St Luke's Methodist Hospital | Cedar Rapids, IA | $1,614 | -$62 | $2,018–$25,920 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #15 | Grinnell Regional Medical Center | Grinnell, IA | $1,614 | -$62 | $2,018–$10,358 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
▼ Show 25 more Iowa hospitals
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Source: CMS hospital price transparency machine-readable files. vs Median = savings or premium relative to the state median price. Gross Charge = undiscounted list price for reference.
Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go →
Compare other procedures in Iowa:
Where you can save the most on cholecystectomy in Iowa
These facilities have the lowest declared prices relative to the state median — they represent the best opportunities to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.
| Facility | City | Your Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene County Medical Center | Jefferson, IA | $534 | -$1,142 |
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center | IA | $1,505 | -$171 |
| Great River Health | IA | $1,511 | -$165 |
| Dallas County Hospital | Perry, IA | $1,524 | -$152 |
| Greater Regional Medical Center | IA | $1,530 | -$146 |
How to choose a lower-cost facility
- Choose independent outpatient centers when possible — freestanding ASCs (ambulatory surgical centers) consistently charge less than hospital outpatient departments for identical procedures.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met — self-pay rates are often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied, especially at facilities that have a high cash-price discount.
- Avoid hospital outpatient departments for routine cases — hospital-owned locations add a facility fee that freestanding centers don't charge, often adding $500–$1,500 to the same procedure.
Most expensive cholecystectomy providers in Iowa
These facilities report the highest prices for this procedure. Academic medical centers and specialty hospitals often top this list — their gross charges rarely reflect what anyone actually pays, but understanding the spread helps you negotiate.
| Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Sheldon Medical Center | Sheldon, IA | $8,080 | +$6,404 |
| OTTUMWA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER | IA | $6,800 | +$5,124 |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital | Lake City, IA | $5,607 | +$3,931 |
| Broadlawns Medical Center | IA | $3,024 | +$1,348 |
| Story County Hospital | Nevada, IA | $2,528 | +$852 |
Why prices vary this much
A small number of hospitals (5) report very high prices above $2,832, which drives much of the overall price range. Excluding these, most facilities cluster in a significantly tighter band.
The spread comes from how each hospital sets its chargemaster (the undiscounted list price), what cash discounts it applies, and what rates it negotiates with each insurer. Facility classification matters too — a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not. Understanding these mechanics is the first step to paying less.
Learn more:
→ Allowed amount vs negotiated rate — what your EOB is really saying
→ How to read your medical bill
→ Why hospital prices are so hard to find — and what to do about it
How insurance changes what you actually pay
Hospital list prices are only part of the picture. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility is in-network, and whether your plan classifies the visit as outpatient or inpatient. A lower gross charge doesn't guarantee a lower bill if the facility is out-of-network or adds facility fees your plan doesn't cover.
Understand your cost before you go:
→ Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
→ EOB vs medical bill — complete guide
→ How to stop medical bill problems before they start (in-network vs out-of-network)
Compare cholecystectomy costs in nearby states
Explore all cholecystectomy cost data
→ See cholecystectomy costs across all states
CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. If you've received a bill for this procedure:
→ Analyze your medical bill for errors
→ How to negotiate your medical bills
→ Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account)
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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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