Tonsillectomy, child cost in Boston, MA
In Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 1 hospital lists a cash price for tonsil and adenoid removal, child under 12: from $5,926.07 to $5,926.07, with a median of $5,926.07. Across Massachusetts, the median is $14,601.63 at 3 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 42820, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between May 18, 2026 and May 18, 2026.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Hospital Concord, MA · (978) 369-1400 TONSILLECTOMY & ADENOIDECTOMY <AGE 12 File of May 18, 2026 · source file | $5,926.07 | $7,901.43 | $309.88–$8,600.71 | 25% |
Outpatient: lowest $5,926.07, median $5,926.07, highest $5,926.07.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $5,926.07. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. 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 is surgery to remove both the tonsils and the adenoids in a child younger than 12. It is commonly done for repeated throat infections or for snoring and breathing problems during sleep caused by large tonsils and adenoids.
What the price covers
The facility price covers the operating room and recovery. The surgeon's fee and anesthesia are usually billed separately.