Hand surgery cost without insurance
The median cash price for Carpal tunnel release is $2,396.61 across 640 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price. Most hospitals (the middle 80%) charge between $691.47 and $8,703.27.
Common hand operations such as carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release are short outpatient procedures, sometimes done in the office with local anesthesia. Fixing a broken wrist with a plate and screws is a larger operation and costs more.
Collected Sep 25, 2026 One price per hospital, from each hospital's own price file
Hand surgery prices by type
64721 is carpal tunnel release and is used in the state table; 26055 is trigger finger release; and 25607 is surgery for a broken wrist (distal radius).
| Procedure | Hospitals | Most charge | Median | Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpal tunnel release Carpal tunnel release, open surgery · code 64721 | 640 | $691.47–$8,703.27 | $2,396.61 | — |
| Trigger finger release Trigger finger release surgery · code 26055 | 628 | $555.97–$4,759.75 | $2,045.97 | — |
| Wrist fracture surgery Wrist fracture surgery (plate and screws), distal radius · code 25607 | 436 | $935.70–$14,751.12 | $4,322.10 | — |
“Most charge” is the middle 80% of hospitals (10th to 90th percentile), so one mistyped line in a hospital file cannot stretch it. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price for the code. “Medicare” is Medicare's 2026 national base rate for the same service outside a hospital stay, including the patient's share (the hospital outpatient, lab or hospital clinic rate); “median 3×” means the median cash price is three times that rate.
Carpal tunnel release: median by state
States with at least two hospitals, cheapest median first. Pick a state for its hand surgery prices and cheapest hospitals.
- Maine$342.38
- Kentucky$677.25
- Indiana$805.50
- Michigan$833.50
- New Hampshire$862.80
- Tennessee$905.25
- Iowa$1,069.60
- Nebraska$1,229.88
- Georgia$1,274.00
- Montana$1,278.00
- Vermont$1,376.80
- Arizona$1,409.39
- Oregon$1,488.00
- New York$1,502.80
- Minnesota$1,558.56
- Wisconsin$1,862.25
- Louisiana$1,882.36
- Oklahoma$2,162.19
- Nevada$2,195.10
- West Virginia$2,250.00
- New Jersey$2,303.85
- Arkansas$2,326.82
- Maryland$2,494.27
- Connecticut$2,580.00
- North Dakota$2,772.10
- Washington$2,943.72
- Illinois$3,264.00
- North Carolina$3,503.75
- Alaska$3,505.32
- Pennsylvania$3,572.40
- South Dakota$3,589.28
- California$3,608.80
- Texas$3,899.19
- Florida$3,912.80
- Missouri$4,148.47
- Massachusetts$4,641.33
- Alabama$4,846.18
- Colorado$5,239.05
- Idaho$5,383.00
- Delaware$6,299.57
- Mississippi$6,774.78
- Ohio$7,135.80
- Virginia$7,291.60
- South Carolina$8,574.17
- Kansas$11,122.40
Paying cash: what to do
- Ask for a bundled self-pay price that includes the surgeon, anesthesia, facility and follow-up visits; hospital file prices usually cover only the facility.
- Ask whether the procedure can be done in the office or a surgery center with local anesthesia, which usually costs far less.
- Ask whether hand therapy after surgery is included.
Questions
How long is carpal tunnel recovery?
Most people use the hand for light tasks within days; full strength takes weeks to months.
Is endoscopic carpal tunnel release different?
It uses a camera and small cut and is billed with a different code (29848).
Do I need surgery for trigger finger?
Not always; a steroid injection helps many people.