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Cholecystectomy Cost in Kentucky (2026 Price Guide)

What does a cholecystectomy cost in Kentucky?

You could pay $1,827 or $4,211 for the same cholecystectomy in Kentucky — depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 52 reporting hospitals is $3,246. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law.

How prices are distributed across Kentucky hospitals:
  • Bottom 25% of hospitals: under $1,827
  • Median: $3,246
  • Above median (top 30%): $4,211+

That's a 2× spread for the same procedure — driven entirely by which facility you choose, not by clinical complexity.

Example — two patients in Louisville:
  • Patient A (high-cost facility): ~$4,211
  • Patient B (lower-cost facility): ~$1,827
Same procedure. Same week. $2,384 difference.

Cheapest Cholecystectomy Providers in Kentucky

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

# Facility City Price vs Median
7 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Hospital Lexington, KY $1,538 -$1,708
8 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph East Lexington, KY $1,538 -$1,708
9 Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center KY $1,563 -$1,683
10 Jennie Stuart Medical Center KY $1,568 -$1,678
11 Paintsville ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419
12 Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center KY $1,827 -$1,419
13 Middlesboro ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419
14 Morgan County ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419

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 →

Worth knowing: A small number of hospitals report very high prices above $7,787, which pulls the overall range wider than what most patients encounter. The typical range above is a better guide for planning.
Every hospital in this dataset offers a cash price — with a median of $4,104. If your deductible hasn't been met, always ask for the self-pay rate before scheduling.

What you'll actually pay — example scenarios

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met (pay in full) ~$3,246
Deductible met — 20% coinsurance ~$649
Out-of-network provider $7,141+

Based on the state median of $3,246. 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 $3,149+ vs. the median.

This is the single biggest lever most patients have to reduce their cost.

Lower-cost options in Kentucky start around $1,827 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $1,827 and $4,211. 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: CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington (cash price from $1,538); CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph East in Lexington (cash price from $1,538); TRISTAR GREENVIEW REGIONAL HOSPITAL in Bowling Green (cash price from $2,158). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Where cholecystectomy costs vary in Kentucky

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.

Below state avg Above state avg Click a pin for facility details.

Estimate YOUR exact out-of-pocket cost →

Quick decision guide:
  • Best value hospitals (lowest prices): PINEVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER: $97; MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT: $230; Pikeville Medical Center: $358
  • Most expensive: Meadowview Regional Medical Center: ~$18,415; Jackson Purchase Medical Center: ~$12,658

→ Choosing the right facility can save $3,149+ vs. the state median.

Kentucky 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.

How we calculate "Your Price" — We prioritize the most actionable price in this order:
  1. Cash price — the self-pay rate you can actually negotiate and pay
  2. Negotiated rate — if reported by the hospital across insurance contracts
  3. 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
#1 PINEVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER KY $97 -$3,149 $342
#2 MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT Benton, KY $230 -$3,016 $373
#3 Pikeville Medical Center Pikeville, KY $358 -$2,888 $358–$1,729
#4 MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT Benton, KY $373 -$2,873 $373
#5 Caldwell County Hospital, Inc. Princeton, KY $531 -$2,715 $1,806–$1,854
#6 MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT Benton, KY $1,256 -$1,990 $1,256–$1,340
#7 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Hospital Lexington, KY $1,538 -$1,708 $1,538–$10,376
#8 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph East Lexington, KY $1,538 -$1,708 $1,538–$10,376
#9 Highlands ARH Regional Medical Center KY $1,563 -$1,683 $2,606–$3,898
#10 Jennie Stuart Medical Center KY $1,568 -$1,678 $914–$16,340
#11 Paintsville ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $780–$5,475
#12 Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$5,051
#13 Middlesboro ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$4,924
#14 Morgan County ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$3,367
#15 McDowell ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$3,367
▼ Show 37 more Kentucky hospitals
#16 Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$4,977
#17 Harlan ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$4,924
#18 Whitesburg ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$4,924
#19 ARH Mary Breckinridge Health Services, Inc. KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$3,367
#20 Barbourville ARH Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$3,367
#21 ARH Our Lady of the Way Hospital KY $1,827 -$1,419 $3,046–$3,367
#22 TRISTAR GREENVIEW REGIONAL HOSPITAL Bowling Green, KY $2,158 -$1,088 $1,423–$9,166
#23 FRANKFORT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER Frankfort, KY $2,400 -$846 $2,400–$11,643
#24 Bluegrass Community Hospital KY $2,739 -$507 $6,847
#25 Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital KY $2,747 -$499 $6,868–$42,525
#26 Ohio County Hospital Hartford, KY $3,188 -$58 $986–$1,074
#27 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Mt. Sterling, KY $3,246 +$0 $3,246–$3,950
#28 Trigg County Hospital Cadiz, KY $3,344 +$98 $750–$11,730
#29 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph London London, KY $3,885 +$639 $1,363–$4,650
#30 Ashland Hospital Corporation Ashland, KY $4,039 +$793 $4,039–$17,782
#31 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Berea Berea, KY $4,168 +$922 $4,168–$5,077
#32 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#33 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#34 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#35 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#36 UofL Health Shepherdville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#37 UofL Health Shelbyville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#38 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#39 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#40 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,211 +$965 $952–$7,191
#41 UofL Health Louisville, KY $4,641 +$1,395 $952–$7,191
#42 Spring View Hospital KY $5,138 +$1,892 $12,846–$29,046
#43 Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville, Inc KY $5,366 +$2,120 $1,436–$20,106
#44 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Flaget Memorial Hospital Bardstown, KY $5,586 +$2,340 $1,389–$9,969
#45 CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Jessamine Nicholasville, KY $5,732 +$2,486 $5,732–$10,228
#46 St Elizabeth Edgewood Edgewood, KY $5,993 +$2,747 $5,993–$10,538
#47 St Elizabeth Edgewood Edgewood, KY $5,993 +$2,747 $5,993–$10,538
#48 CCMH CORPORATION Carrollton, KY $7,500 +$4,254 $1,160–$13,000
#49 Georgetown Community Hospital KY $7,698 +$4,452 $19,246–$37,264
#50 Clark Regional Medical Center KY $8,830 +$5,584 $22,075–$24,001
#51 Jackson Purchase Medical Center KY $12,658 +$9,412 $1,389–$33,026
#52 Meadowview Regional Medical Center KY $18,415 +$15,169 $46,037–$47,330

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 Kentucky:

Where you can save the most on cholecystectomy in Kentucky

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
PINEVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER KY $97 -$3,149
MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT Benton, KY $230 -$3,016
Pikeville Medical Center Pikeville, KY $358 -$2,888
MARSHALL COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT Benton, KY $373 -$2,873
Caldwell County Hospital, Inc. Princeton, KY $531 -$2,715

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.
Important: Many procedures are done at ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) that are often 30–60% cheaper than hospital outpatient departments with the same clinical quality. Most ASCs are not in this hospital dataset — meaning your cheapest option may not even appear here. Ask your doctor if the procedure can be done at a freestanding ASC.

Most expensive cholecystectomy providers in Kentucky

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
Meadowview Regional Medical Center KY $18,415 +$15,169
Jackson Purchase Medical Center KY $12,658 +$9,412
Clark Regional Medical Center KY $8,830 +$5,584
Georgetown Community Hospital KY $7,698 +$4,452
CCMH CORPORATION Carrollton, KY $7,500 +$4,254

Why prices vary this much

A small number of hospitals (4) report very high prices above $7,787, which drives much of the overall price range. Excluding these, most facilities cluster in a significantly tighter band.

Among the cities with the most reporting hospitals, Louisville has a median reported price of $4,211 across 8 facilities, while facilities in Benton tend to report lower prices (median: $373). City-level variation within a state often reflects local market structure, not procedure complexity.

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)

Other Procedure Costs in Kentucky

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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 May 10, 2026 · Updated May 10, 2026

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