Tonsillectomy, age 12+ cost in Madison, WI — inpatient
In Madison, WI, 2 hospitals list a cash price for tonsil removal (tonsillectomy) only, age 12 or older as an inpatient: from $1,308.80 to $1,359.15, with a median of $1,333.98. The lowest listed price is at UnityPoint Health - Meriter — $25.18 less than the median here. Across Wisconsin, the median is $1,359.15 at 27 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities 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 Apr 1, 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 Madison, WI.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnityPoint Health - Meriter lowest Madison, WI · (608) 417-6210 PR REMOVAL OF TONSILS,12+ Y/O | $1,308.80 | $1,636.00 | $236.75–$1,554.20 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital Portage, WI · (608) 742-4131 TONSILLECTOMY PRIMARY/SECONDARY AGE 12/> | $1,359.15 | $2,091.00 | — | 35% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,308.80, median $1,333.98, highest $1,359.15.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $1,333.98 — 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. 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.