SelfPayRates — hospital cash prices, from the source
Cash prices at 3 facilities across 2 cities for code 42820, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 2026.
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Off | File date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation
DES MOINES, IA REMOVE TONSILS/ADENOIDS,<12 Y/O |
$715.20 | $894.00 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 file |
|
| Central Iowa Hospital Corporation
DES MOINES, IA REMOVE TONSILS/ADENOIDS,<12 Y/O |
$715.20 | $894.00 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 file |
|
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton
NEWTON, IA PR Tonsillectomy & Adenoidectomy Younger Than Age 12 |
$11,382.01 | — | — | Mar 31, 2026 file |
|
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa Corp
DES MOINES, IA PR Tonsillectomy & Adenoidectomy Younger Than Age 12 |
$15,698.62 | — | — | Mar 31, 2026 file |
Outpatient: lowest $715.20, median $6,048.61, highest $15,698.62 — a 21.9× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $715.20. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.