Surgery and procedures CPT 42821 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Tonsil and adenoid removal, 12+ cost in Seattle, WA — inpatient

In Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for tonsil and adenoid removal, age 12 or older as an inpatient: from $3,306.33 to $3,306.33, with a median of $3,306.33. Across Washington, the median is $7,297.45 at 6 hospitals.

Cash prices at 1 facility for code 42821, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.

Lowest$3,306.33Virginia Mason Medical Center
Median$3,306.33half pay less
Highest$3,306.33in this market
Difference1.0×highest vs lowest

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash price List priceInsurers payOff listFile date
Virginia Mason Medical Center Seattle, WA · (206) 223-6600 *TONSILLECTOMY AND ADENOIDECTOMY- AGE 12 OR OVER-FAC $3,306.33 $6,483.00 $4,152.36–$5,186.40 49% —
source file

Inpatient: lowest $3,306.33, median $3,306.33, highest $3,306.33.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $17,733.02 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

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 and 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 is surgery to remove both the tonsils and the adenoids in someone age 12 or older. It is done for repeated infections or for snoring and breathing problems during sleep caused by enlarged 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.