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

What does a knee arthroscopy cost in North Dakota?

You could pay $892 or $3,170 for the same knee arthroscopy in North Dakota - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 13 reporting hospitals is $1,502. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.

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Where knee arthroscopy costs vary in North Dakota

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.

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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.

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  • ✓ 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.
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Cheapest Knee Arthroscopy Providers in North Dakota

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

# Facility City Price vs median ($1,502)
1 CHI St. Alexius Health Williston Williston, ND $890 $612 below
2 Altru Hospital Devils Lake Devils Lake, ND $892 $610 below
3 Altru Hospital Grand Forks, ND $892 $610 below
4 Jamestown Regional Medical Center Jamestown, ND $1,240 $262 below
5 SMP Health - St. Aloisius dba SMP Health - St. Aloisius Harvey, ND $1,502 $0 above
6 Essentia Health Fargo ND $3,120 $1,618 above
7 ST. ALEXIUS MEDICAL CENTER Bismarck, ND $3,244 $1,742 above
8 Trinity Hospitals Minot, ND $3,342 $1,840 above

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

  • CHI St. Alexius Health Williston is the lowest-cost option at $890 - $612 below the median posted price ($1,502), just by choosing where you go.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $1,502, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
  • This dataset covers hospitals only - freestanding ASCs, which routinely run 30-60% cheaper for the same procedure, aren't included, so it's worth asking your doctor whether one is an option.
Knee arthroscopy prices by coverage in North Dakota, October 2026
CoverageHospitals with a rateTypical rangeMedian
Medicare (national rate)—$3,343 to $3,343$3,343
With insurance (commercial, average)12$1,034 to $6,475$2,969
Without insurance (cash price)13$858 to $5,078$1,502
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota8$1,606 to $6,334$3,594
Aetna3$1,709 to $4,702$3,510

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 North Dakota?

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 North Dakota?

Across 12 North Dakota hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for knee arthroscopy average $1,034 to $6,475 per hospital, with a median near $2,969. 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 North Dakota?

Cash (self-pay) prices for knee arthroscopy at 13 North Dakota hospitals range from $858 to $5,078, with a median of $1,502. 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 Blue Shield of North Dakota?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota negotiated rates for knee arthroscopy at 8 North Dakota hospitals range from $1,606 to $6,334, with a median near $3,594. 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 Aetna in North Dakota?

Aetna negotiated rates for knee arthroscopy at 3 North Dakota hospitals range from $1,709 to $4,702, with a median near $3,510. 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 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
$1,480–$9,306
  • Facility fee $850–$5,938
  • Professional fee $630–$3,368

Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers

Sanford Health and CHI St. Alexius divide most of North Dakota's hospital market, with Bismarck and Fargo each effectively dominated by one system. The state's oil-economy wage growth has increased hospital labor costs, pushing prices above what the rural market structure would otherwise suggest. Critical access hospitals cover most of the rural tier.

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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage

Facility classification matters as much as the hospital itself - a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not.

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 ~$1,502
Deductible met - 20% coinsurance ~$300
Out-of-network provider $3,304+

Frequently asked questions: knee arthroscopy costs in North Dakota

How much does a knee arthroscopy cost in North Dakota?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $1,041, with most facilities between $417 and $3,170 (based on 13 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Posted cash prices at the middle 80% of North Dakota hospitals run $858–$5,078; 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 North Dakota?

Based on declared prices, the lowest posted price in our North Dakota data is CHI St. Alexius Health Williston in Williston at about $890. By metro, Fargo has the lowest median ($1,968). 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 North Dakota hospitals?

Typical prices vary about 7.6× (25th to 70th percentile of negotiated rates) because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In North Dakota, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,502 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,969 - 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 North Dakota?

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 North Dakota

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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