Knee arthroscopy (both menisci) cost in Chicago, IL
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, 9 hospitals list a cash price for knee arthroscopy with removal of both torn meniscus parts: from $558.01 to $26,107.62, with a median of $21,626.14. The lowest listed price is at Humboldt Park Health — $21,068.13 less than the median here. Across Illinois, the median is $5,248.74 at 14 hospitals.
Cash prices at 9 facilities across 9 cities for code 29880, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 1, 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humboldt Park Health lowest Chicago, IL · (773) 292-8200 Removal of both knee cartilages using an endoscope | $558.01 | $1,992.90 | $1,992.90 | 72% | Aug 24, 2026 source file |
| Saint Francis Hospital Evanston, IL · (847) 316-4000 Knee arthroscopy/surgery - 29880 - OR36029880 | $3,489.00 | $14,932.00 | $599.56–$12,393.56 | 77% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center Aurora, IL · (630) 859-2222 Knee arthroscopy/surgery - 29880 - OR36029880 | $3,489.00 | $39,400.00 | $579.23–$39,400.00 | 91% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Lake Forest, IL · (847) 234-5600 HB Arthroscopy Knee Med or Lat | $18,733.67 | $26,762.39 | $5,282.00–$5,868.00 | 30% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital Geneva, IL · (630) 208-3000 HB Arthroscopy Knee Med or Lat | $21,626.14 | $30,894.49 | $5,282.00–$5,868.00 | 30% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital McHenry, IL · (815) 344-5000 HB Arthroscopy Knee Med or Lat | $22,023.93 | $31,462.76 | $5,282.00–$9,102.00 | 30% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Palos Community Hospital Palos Heights, IL · (708) 923-4000 HB Arthroscopy Knee Med or Lat | $22,590.39 | $32,271.99 | $5,282.00–$5,868.00 | 30% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital DeKalb, IL · (815) 756-1521 HB Arthroscopy Knee Med or Lat | $25,137.57 | $35,910.81 | — | 30% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital Winfield, IL · (630) 682-1600 HB Arthroscopy Knee Med or Lat | $26,107.62 | $37,296.60 | — | 30% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $558.01, median $21,626.14, highest $26,107.62 — a 46.8× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 7 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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 knee arthroscopy trims torn parts of both the inner and outer meniscus through small incisions.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the operating room, recovery and supplies. The surgeon and anesthesia usually bill separately.