Tonsillectomy, age 12+ cost in Des Moines, IA — inpatient
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for tonsil removal (tonsillectomy) only, age 12 or older as an inpatient: from $622.40 to $946.00, with a median of $784.20. The lowest listed price is at UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical — $161.80 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $622.40 at 21 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 42826, 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.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical lowest Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 PR REMOVAL OF TONSILS,12+ Y/O | $622.40 | $778.00 | $233.28–$777.66 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical lowest Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 PR REMOVAL OF TONSILS,12+ Y/O | $622.40 | $778.00 | $233.28–$777.66 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA · (515) 247-4436 PR Tonsillectomy Primary or Secondary Age 12 or Older | $946.00 | $946.00 | $73.81–$946.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $622.40, median $784.20, highest $946.00 — a 1.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 3 facilities here, median $854.05 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 1 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it 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 the tonsils, without the adenoids, in someone age 12 or older. It is done for repeated throat infections, large tonsils that block breathing during sleep, or other tonsil problems.
What the price covers
The facility price covers the operating room and recovery. The surgeon's fee and anesthesia are usually billed separately.