Surgery and procedures CPT 29881 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Knee arthroscopy with meniscus trim in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA — inpatient

In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, 3 hospitals list a cash price for Knee arthroscopy with meniscus trim as an inpatient: from $1,329.60 to $1,870.00, with a median of $1,870.00. The lowest listed price is at Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation.

Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 29881, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 2026.

Lowest$1,329.60Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation
Median$1,870.00half pay less
Highest$1,870.00in this market
Difference1.4×highest vs lowest

Where each hospital's price falls

Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA.

median
Lowest $1,329.60Highest $1,870.00

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceOff listFile date
Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation lowest Waterloo, IA PR ARTHRS KNE SURG W/MENISCECTOMY MED/LAT W/SHVG $1,329.60 $1,662.00 20% Jan 28, 2026
source file
Sartori Memorial Hospital Inc Cedar Falls, IA PR Arthroscopy Knee Surg W/ Meniscectomy Incl Debr/Shvi Artc Cartilage $1,870.00 $1,870.00 Mar 31, 2026
source file
Covenant Medical Center Inc Waterloo, IA PR Arthroscopy Knee Surg W/ Meniscectomy Incl Debr/Shvi Artc Cartilage $1,870.00 $1,870.00 Mar 31, 2026
source file

Inpatient: lowest $1,329.60, median $1,870.00, highest $1,870.00 — a 1.4× difference within the same market.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $1,220.00 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $30,072.23 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

What it is

Knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy uses a small camera and instruments through tiny cuts to trim or remove a torn part of the meniscus, the cartilage cushion in the knee. The code also covers smoothing damaged cartilage in the knee when done.

What the price covers

The facility price covers the operating room and recovery. The surgeon's fee and anesthesia are usually billed separately.