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Knee Replacement Cost in North Carolina (2026 Price Guide)

What does a knee replacement cost in North Carolina?

You could pay $2,521 or $12,451 for the same knee replacement in North Carolina — depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 46 reporting hospitals is $6,041. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law.

How prices are distributed across North Carolina hospitals:
  • Bottom 25% of hospitals: under $2,334
  • Median: $6,041
  • Above median (top 30%): $12,451+

That's a 5× spread for the same procedure — driven entirely by which facility you choose, not by clinical complexity.

Example — two patients in Charlotte:
  • Patient A (high-cost facility): ~$12,451
  • Patient B (lower-cost facility): ~$2,521
Same procedure. Same week. $9,930 difference.

Cheapest Knee Replacement Providers in North Carolina

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

# Facility City Price vs Median
6 Charles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital Linville, NC $2,101 -$3,940
7 Wakemed Raleigh Campus Raleigh, NC $2,135 -$3,906
8 WakeMed Cary Hospital Cary, NC $2,135 -$3,906
9 Blue Ridge HealthCare Hospitals, Inc. NC $2,152 -$3,889
10 UNC Rockingham Health Care, Inc. NC $2,169 -$3,872
11 Chatham Hospital, Inc. NC $2,169 -$3,872
12 Southeastern Regional Medical Center NC $2,288 -$3,753
13 Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Fayetteville, NC $2,380 -$3,661

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   → Knee Replacement costs nationwide

Check YOUR hospital's pricing → Estimate YOUR exact cost →

Worth knowing: A small number of hospitals report very high prices above $27,689, 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 $6,991. 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) ~$6,041
Deductible met — 20% coinsurance ~$1,208
Out-of-network provider $13,290+

Based on the state median of $6,041. 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 $5,886+ vs. the median.

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

Lower-cost options in North Carolina start around $2,334 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $2,334 and $12,476. 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: Erlanger Health System in Murphy (cash price from $2,072); Charles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital in Linville (cash price from $2,101); Wakemed Raleigh Campus in Raleigh (cash price from $2,135). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Where knee replacement costs vary in North Carolina

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): Lenoir Memorial Hospital, Inc.: $155; DUKE HEALTH LAKE NORMAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, INC. Doing Business As: DUKE HEALTH LAKE NORMAN HOSPITAL: $799; CENTRAL CAROLINA HOSPITAL: $1,199
  • Most expensive: Person Memorial Hospital: ~$39,015; Harris Regional Hospital: ~$21,463

→ Choosing the right facility can save $5,886+ vs. the state median.

North Carolina Knee Replacement 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 Lenoir Memorial Hospital, Inc. NC $155 -$5,886 $659–$3,197
#2 DUKE HEALTH LAKE NORMAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, INC. Doing Business As: DUKE HEALTH LAKE NORMAN HOSPITAL Mooresville, NC $799 -$5,242 $5,600
#3 CENTRAL CAROLINA HOSPITAL NC $1,199 -$4,842 $3,917
#4 Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Inc. NC $2,070 -$3,971 $1,402–$5,887
#5 Erlanger Health System Murphy, NC $2,072 -$3,969 $2,072–$19,943
#6 Charles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital Linville, NC $2,101 -$3,940 $1,748–$5,282
#7 Wakemed Raleigh Campus Raleigh, NC $2,135 -$3,906 $988–$33,110
#8 WakeMed Cary Hospital Cary, NC $2,135 -$3,906 $1,579–$33,110
#9 Blue Ridge HealthCare Hospitals, Inc. NC $2,152 -$3,889 $1,485–$7,197
#10 UNC Rockingham Health Care, Inc. NC $2,169 -$3,872 $1,335–$5,220
#11 Chatham Hospital, Inc. NC $2,169 -$3,872 $1,336–$5,221
#12 Southeastern Regional Medical Center NC $2,288 -$3,753 $2,065–$7,009
#13 Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Fayetteville, NC $2,380 -$3,661 $3,968–$16,622
#14 Wayne Memorial Hospital, Inc. NC $2,405 -$3,636 $1,245–$4,437
#15 CAREPARTNERS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL Asheville, NC $2,550 -$3,491 $2,550
▼ Show 31 more North Carolina hospitals
#16 CarolinaEast Med Center NC $2,755 -$3,286 $2,865–$7,864
#17 Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital Elkin, NC $3,183 -$2,858 $795–$12,039
#18 Maria Parham Health NC $3,332 -$2,709 $8,330–$45,298
#19 Iredell Memorial Hospital, Inc. NC $3,401 -$2,640 $12,597–$54,608
#20 Catawba Valley Health System Hickory, NC $3,515 -$2,526 $5,858–$9,600
#21 Cape Fear Valley - Hoke Hospital Raeford, NC $4,822 -$1,219 $8,038–$17,287
#22 Betsy Johnson Hospital Dunn, NC $5,266 -$775 $8,778–$22,024
#23 North Carolina Specialty Hospital Durham, NC $5,872 -$169 $5,872–$18,659
#24 Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center Wilmington, NC $6,041 +$0 $6,041–$9,366
#25 Ashe Memorial Hospital Jefferson, NC $6,905 +$864 $8,632
#26 Granville Health System NC $7,077 +$1,036 $8,846–$32,043
#27 Sentara Albemarle Regional Medical Center, LLC Elizabeth City, NC $12,271 +$6,230 $12,271–$17,094
#28 Adventhealth Hendersonville Hendersonville, NC $12,271 +$6,230 $12,271–$16,759
#29 Haywood Regional Medical Center NC $12,432 +$6,391 $31,080–$129,004
#30 Novant Health Clemmons Medical Center Clemmons, NC $12,451 +$6,410 $12,451–$17,005
#31 Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center Thomasville, NC $12,451 +$6,410 $12,451–$17,005
#32 Novant Health Medical Park Hospital Winston-Salem, NC $12,451 +$6,410 $12,451–$17,005
#33 Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center Winston-Salem, NC $12,451 +$6,410 $12,451–$17,005
#34 Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center Kernersville, NC $12,451 +$6,410 $12,451–$17,005
#35 Novant Health Rowan Medical Center Salisbury, NC $12,476 +$6,435 $12,476–$17,038
#36 Novant Health Matthews Medical Center Matthews, NC $12,476 +$6,435 $12,476–$17,038
#37 Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Charlotte, NC $12,476 +$6,435 $12,476–$17,038
#38 Novant Health Charlotte Orthopedic Hospital Charlotte, NC $12,476 +$6,435 $12,476–$17,038
#39 Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center Huntersville, NC $12,476 +$6,435 $12,476–$17,038
#40 Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center Charlotte, NC $12,476 +$6,435 $12,476–$17,038
#41 Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center Charlotte, NC $12,476 +$6,435 $12,476–$17,038
#42 Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Bolivia, NC $13,770 +$7,729 $13,770–$18,806
#43 FRYE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER NC $15,271 +$9,230 $38,178–$45,038
#44 Rutherford Regional Health System NC $18,092 +$12,051 $45,232
#45 Harris Regional Hospital NC $21,463 +$15,422 $53,657
#46 Person Memorial Hospital NC $39,015 +$32,974 $97,538

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 North Carolina:

Where you can save the most on knee replacement in North Carolina

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
Lenoir Memorial Hospital, Inc. NC $155 -$5,886
DUKE HEALTH LAKE NORMAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, INC. Doing Business As: DUKE HEALTH LAKE NORMAN HOSPITAL Mooresville, NC $799 -$5,242
CENTRAL CAROLINA HOSPITAL NC $1,199 -$4,842
Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Inc. NC $2,070 -$3,971
Erlanger Health System Murphy, NC $2,072 -$3,969

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 knee replacement providers in North Carolina

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
Person Memorial Hospital NC $39,015 +$32,974
Harris Regional Hospital NC $21,463 +$15,422
Rutherford Regional Health System NC $18,092 +$12,051
FRYE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER NC $15,271 +$9,230
Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Bolivia, NC $13,770 +$7,729

Why prices vary this much

A small number of hospitals (2) report very high prices above $27,689, 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, Charlotte has a median reported price of $12,476 across 4 facilities, while facilities in Winston-Salem tend to report lower prices (median: $12,451). 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 knee replacement costs in nearby states

Explore all knee replacement cost data

See knee replacement 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 North Carolina

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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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