Knee arthroscopy, cartilage smoothing cost in San Antonio, TX — inpatient
In San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX, 2 hospitals list a cash price for knee arthroscopy with smoothing of damaged cartilage (chondroplasty) as an inpatient: from $5,443.53 to $10,170.80, with a median of $7,807.17. The lowest listed price is at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center — $2,363.64 less than the median here. Across Texas, the median is $4,508.71 at 32 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 29877, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jul 29, 2026 and Jul 29, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe Regional Medical Center lowest Seguin, TX · (830) 379-2411 ARTHROSCOPY, KNEE, SURGICAL; DEBRIDEMENT/SHAVING OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE (CHONDROPLASTY) | $5,443.53 | $10,887.06 | $551.54–$10,887.06 | 50% | — source file |
| Medina Regional Hospital Hondo, TX · (830) 426-7700 ARTHROSCOPY KNEE DEBRID/SHV AC | $10,170.80 | $11,300.88 | $5,650.44–$10,170.79 | 10% | Jul 29, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $5,443.53, median $7,807.17, highest $10,170.80 — a 1.9× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $10,170.80 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 1 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This code covers knee arthroscopy in which the surgeon smooths rough or loose cartilage.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the operating room, recovery and supplies. The surgeon and anesthesia usually bill separately.