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Knee Replacement Cost by State and Facility Type (2026)

Typical cost

$4,725–$13,867

Sticker price is almost never what patients actually pay.

Your actual cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, and where you are in your plan.

👉 The same Knee Replacement could cost you $0 or $13,867.

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Where You Get a Knee Replacement Matters

Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2–4× more than ASCs or independent centers for the same procedure - same outcome, very different bill.

Ambulatory Surgery Center

Ambulatory Surgery Center typically carries a mid-range price for a knee replacement. Typically 40–60% less than hospital OP for surgical procedures. Anesthesia billed separately. You can shop here - call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote.

Hospital Inpatient

Hospital Inpatient typically carries the highest price for a knee replacement. DRG-based billing bundles most services. Professional fees billed separately. Length of stay drives cost.

A knee replacement is four separate bills - and physical therapy, the longest of any joint replacement, is billed per visit.

Your personalized cost report includes:

  • ✓ Why a short inpatient stay adds a facility day-rate on top of the surgery itself
  • ✓ The separate anesthesia bill that can be out-of-network even at an in-network hospital
  • ✓ How physical therapy is billed - per visit, often for months - and the plan limits to confirm first
  • ✓ The questions to ask before scheduling, including whether you qualify for a lower-cost surgery center
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

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Knee Replacement Cost by Type

Which type your doctor orders changes the billing code - and what you pay. Here's how the common types differ.

Total Knee Replacement

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. Most common. Replaces entire joint surface.

Partial Knee Replacement (Unicompartmental)

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. Less invasive when only one compartment is damaged. Faster recovery.

Knee Revision Surgery

A recognized variation that can change the billing code and what you owe. Replacement of a failed implant. Significantly more complex and expensive.

CostKits Data - Knee Replacement

$2,310–$7,410
National typical range
Median across all 50 states
21×
National price spread
Cheapest vs. most expensive market
3,274
Facilities in our database
92% have observed negotiated rates
High
Shopping potential
Facility type is the biggest cost lever
50
States with cost data
Updated 2026

Facility Choice Is the Biggest Cost Driver

Setting Typical Allowed Amount
Hospital outpatient dept. $6,300–$8,500
Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) $3,350–$4,450

Same procedure, same clinical outcome - 40–55% lower allowed amount. Ask your physician if the procedure can be performed at an ASC.

CostKits Market Intelligence - Knee Replacement

Confidence: High
Sources Used
  • CMS Medicare fee schedules (MPFS, OPPS, ASC)
  • Hospital price transparency files
  • Commercial rate relativity model
Estimate Composition
Observed negotiated rates
90%
Medicare baseline
5%
Estimated relativity
5%
264 geographic markets analyzed
3,274 facilities in dataset
50 states + 214 metros

Most insured patients do not pay the full facility price. See your likely out-of-pocket cost →

Check your surprise-bill risk

See what you'll actually owe before you schedule - 3 quick questions, no bill required.

Quick navigation: · National Knee Replacement Cost Guide · How deductibles affect your cost · Already have a bill? Get it professionally reviewed →

Total knee replacement (TKR) is one of the most common major orthopedic surgeries in the U.S., replacing the damaged knee joint with an artificial implant to relieve pain and restore function.

How to Use This Data

These prices come from hospital price transparency files that hospitals are required by law to publish. They represent the range of what hospitals declare as their charges - actual negotiated rates with insurers are typically 40–60% lower.

If you have insurance: Your out-of-pocket cost is determined by your deductible, coinsurance, and your insurer's negotiated rate with the specific facility. Call your insurer for a pre-service cost estimate before scheduling.

If you are uninsured: Call 2–3 facilities directly and ask for their self-pay or cash-pay rate. Most facilities offer 20–50% discounts off list prices for upfront payment.

If you received a bill: Upload it to CostKits to compare what you were charged against what other facilities in your state reported.

This Procedure Is Shoppable - Choosing the Right Facility Can Save Thousands

Knee Replacement is elective and schedulable. You have time to compare facilities - and hospital outpatient prices often run 2–4× higher than ASC for identical clinical outcomes.

How to shop: Ask your doctor for the CPT code, then call 2–3 facilities and request an out-of-pocket cost estimate. Confirm your insurance is accepted. If uninsured, ask for the cash-pay rate - it's usually 20–50% below the list price.

Prior Authorization Is Usually Required

Most commercial and Medicare Advantage plans require pre-approval for knee replacement before scheduling. If your doctor submits the order without prior authorization - or if the authorization lapses - your insurer can deny the entire claim, leaving you responsible for the full cost.

Action step: Call the member services number on your insurance card before scheduling. Ask: "Does this procedure require prior authorization?" Get the authorization number in writing and confirm it's attached to the claim before your appointment.

The Implant Is the Largest Cost Driver

For knee replacement, the implant or device typically accounts for 40–70% of the total hospital bill. Surgeons have preferred device relationships that affect which implant is used - and different implants can vary by $5,000–$15,000 in cost.

What to ask: Request an itemized estimate that breaks out the implant separately. Ask your surgeon whether a comparable implant is available at a lower cost.

Who performs this: Knee Replacement is typically performed by a Orthopedic Surgery. The specialist's professional fee is billed separately from the facility charge - you will likely receive separate bills from each.

What's Actually on a Knee Replacement Bill?

A single knee replacement can generate multiple separate bills. Each provider bills independently and they often arrive weeks apart. Here's what to expect at a Asc:

Billing Component Always? Typical Amount Separate Bill? Notes
ASC Facility Fee Always $2,816–$7,162 Often Device-intensive (J8 payment indicator) - ASC payment = OPPS payment minus device offset. MRF data shows 30–70% less than hospital OP in some markets.
Orthopedic Surgeon Professional Fee Always - Usually
Anesthesia Always $510–$1,360 Usually
Implant Device Cost Always Varies Sometimes

Data note

This page shows facility and allowed-amount price data - not your personal cost after insurance. What you'll actually pay depends on your deductible, coinsurance rate, and plan type.

Estimate what YOU’ll pay →

Knee Replacement Cost-Saving Decision Guide

Three moves that reduce your actual out-of-pocket cost - not just awareness, but specific decisions you can make before scheduling:

Choose the right facility
If: Procedure is non-urgent + a hospital is where you're scheduled
Typical savings: $1,775–$3,825 - Moving from a hospital to ASC is typically the single biggest lever - identical care, lower overhead

Common Knee Replacement Billing Surprises

The sticker price is rarely the whole story. These are the charges that most often surprise people after a knee replacement - knowing them in advance is how you catch errors and avoid out-of-network bills.

You May Receive Two Bills

Most knee replacement episodes produce a facility charge and a separate professional (surgeon) charge. Even when the facility is in-network, the surgeon can be out-of-network.

The Surgeon Bills Separately

The surgeon bills independently from the facility and may arrive later as its own statement.

Anesthesia May Be Billed Separately

Anesthesia is frequently provided by a separate group and may be out-of-network even when the facility is not.

Implant or Device Charges

The implant or device is often the single largest line item and varies widely by manufacturer.

Facility Fees

Hospital facility fees are typically far higher than ambulatory or independent settings for the identical service.

Out-of-Network Surgeon

Confirm the surgeon - not just the facility - is in your network before the procedure.

Explore Knee Replacement Costs

How Insurance Affects the Cost of This Procedure

Understanding these insurance concepts can help you estimate what you may actually pay for this procedure.

Knee Replacement by Type & Body Part

Costs vary significantly by which knee replacement variant you need. Select a type to see state-by-state pricing and billing details:

Cheapest States for Knee Replacement

The 10 lowest-cost states for knee replacement, by typical facility price range. Use these as a benchmark - even within a low-cost state, an independent imaging center usually beats a hospital outpatient department.

  1. 1. Utah $2,039–$2,041
  2. 2. Missouri $2,075–$2,870
  3. 3. Nebraska $2,182–$3,093
  4. 4. Rhode Island $2,047–$3,338
  5. 5. Nevada $2,080–$3,817
  6. 6. Delaware $774–$5,603
  7. 7. Idaho $2,219–$4,193
  8. 8. Montana $2,061–$4,411
  9. 9. Iowa $2,167–$4,413
  10. 10. Tennessee $2,118–$4,722

Most Expensive States for Knee Replacement

The 10 highest-cost states for knee replacement. If you're in one of these, shopping facilities and asking for the cash-pay rate matters most.

  1. 1. North Dakota $2,475–$16,223
  2. 2. Florida $4,134–$12,736
  3. 3. New Hampshire $2,123–$14,000
  4. 4. Indiana $2,089–$13,583
  5. 5. Virginia $3,564–$11,913
  6. 6. Mississippi $3,881–$10,987
  7. 7. North Carolina $2,306–$12,451
  8. 8. New Mexico $2,588–$12,056
  9. 9. Ohio $2,185–$12,128
  10. 10. Alabama $2,753–$11,442

Knee Replacement Cost by State

Data source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency Machine-Readable Files. Prices represent hospital-declared charges and do not include physician fees, anesthesia, or other separately-billed services.

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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 15, 2026 · Updated May 15, 2026

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