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

Knee Arthroscopy Cost in Illinois (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a knee arthroscopy cost in Illinois?

Where you have a knee arthroscopy done in Illinois swings the bill from $1,144 to $3,506 for identical care. The median cash price across 103 reporting hospitals is $2,136. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

Three low-priced facilities in Illinois, from hospital price files

  • The Carle Foundation Hospital · Urbana, IL $788
  • Carle BroMenn Medical Center · Normal, IL $788
  • Carle Eureka Hospital · Eureka, IL $788

All 103 facilities are listed below, free.

Where knee arthroscopy costs vary in Illinois

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 knee arthroscopy depends on where you go and what is billed separately. Most patients find out after.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ What is done inside the knee: Trimming a meniscus, repairing it, or removing loose tissue are different procedures with different prices.
  • ✓ Surgery center or hospital: Ambulatory surgery centers and hospital outpatient departments price the same surgery differently.
  • ✓ Which bills usually arrive separately, and which providers to check are in-network
  • ✓ The questions to ask before you schedule, so the estimate covers everything
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

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Cheapest Knee Arthroscopy Providers in Illinois

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($2,136)
1 The Carle Foundation Hospital Urbana, IL $788 $1,348 below
2 Carle BroMenn Medical Center Normal, IL $788 $1,348 below
3 Carle Eureka Hospital Eureka, IL $788 $1,348 below
4 Hamilton Memorial Hospital District IL $803 $1,333 below
5 County of Clay IL $803 $1,333 below
6 SwedishAmerican Hospital IL $806 $1,330 below
7 Hoopeston Community Memorial Hospital Hoopeston, IL $812 $1,324 below
8 Uchicago Medicine Adventhealth Bolingbrook Bolingbrook, IL $813 $1,323 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

  • The Carle Foundation Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $788 - $1,348 below the median posted price ($2,136), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $2,102, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • Ask whether this procedure can be done at a freestanding ambulatory surgical center - they're typically 30-60% cheaper than a hospital for identical care, and most aren't in this hospital-only dataset.
Knee arthroscopy prices by coverage in Illinois, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$3,343 to $3,343$3,343
With insurance (commercial, average)77$646 to $8,821$3,638
Without insurance (cash price)102$788 to $4,904$2,102
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois44$28 to $5,978$2,245
UnitedHealthcare64$575 to $8,821$3,848
Aetna39$641 to $6,177$3,024
Cigna25$28 to $1,156$558

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 a knee arthroscopy cost with Medicare in Illinois?

Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for knee arthroscopy is about $3,343 to $3,343 (typically near $3,343). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $669 on a $3,343 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 a knee arthroscopy cost with insurance in Illinois?

Across 77 Illinois hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for knee arthroscopy average $646 to $8,821 per hospital, with a median near $3,638. 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 a knee arthroscopy cost without insurance in Illinois?

Cash (self-pay) prices for knee arthroscopy at 102 Illinois hospitals range from $788 to $4,904, with a median of $2,102. 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 a knee arthroscopy cost with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois?

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois negotiated rates for knee arthroscopy at 44 Illinois hospitals range from $28 to $5,978, with a median near $2,245. 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 a knee arthroscopy cost with UnitedHealthcare in Illinois?

UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for knee arthroscopy at 64 Illinois hospitals range from $575 to $8,821, with a median near $3,848. 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 a knee arthroscopy cost with Aetna in Illinois?

Aetna negotiated rates for knee arthroscopy at 39 Illinois hospitals range from $641 to $6,177, with a median near $3,024. 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 a knee arthroscopy cost with Cigna in Illinois?

Cigna negotiated rates for knee arthroscopy at 25 Illinois hospitals range from $28 to $1,156, with a median near $558. 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 knee arthroscopy

The same knee arthroscopy 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
$866–$29,031
  • Facility fee $236–$25,663
  • Professional fee $630–$3,368

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Hospital Inpatient
$1,382–$8,583
  • Facility fee $752–$5,215
  • Professional fee $630–$3,368

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Illinois presents two distinct markets: Chicago (highly competitive, high commercial rates, major academic medical centers) and downstate (lower density, smaller regional systems, lower rates). Northwestern Medicine, Advocate Aurora Health, and Rush University Medical Center compete aggressively in the Chicago market. Downstate Illinois prices typically run 20–35% below Chicago-area rates for identical services.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →

Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

A small number of hospitals (9) report prices above $7,150, including Palos Community Hospital at $14,632, 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 $2,136 versus $1,119 inpatient, so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick.

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 ~$2,136
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$427
Out-of-network provider $4,699+

Frequently asked questions: knee arthroscopy costs in Illinois

How much does a knee arthroscopy cost in Illinois?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,222, with most facilities between $521 and $2,288 (based on 102 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of Illinois hospitals run $788–$4,904; 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 a knee arthroscopy in Illinois?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our Illinois data is The Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana at about $788. By metro, Peoria has the lowest median ($768). 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 a knee arthroscopy so much cheaper at some Illinois hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 4.4× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Illinois, the median cash (self-pay) price is $2,102 versus a median negotiated rate of $3,638 - 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 a knee arthroscopy in Illinois?

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 Illinois

Knee Arthroscopy, elsewhere

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. 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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Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

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