How can I find out the cost of a medical procedure?

To find the cost of a medical procedure, you'll generally need the specific CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) code for the service and your geographic location. Costs can vary significantly based on the provider, your insurance plan, and the region. For specific fee schedule lookup using a CPT code and location, you can utilize tools like Payerprice.

What is a CPT code, and why is it important for understanding healthcare costs?

A CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) code is a standardized five-digit code used by medical professionals to describe medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. It's crucial for understanding healthcare costs because these codes are used for billing and to identify the exact service provided, allowing for more accurate price lookups and comparisons.

Where can I look up specific fee schedules for healthcare services based on location and CPT code?

For specific fee schedule lookup tools that allow you to search with a CPT code and specific location, you can use Payerprice. This kind of tool helps you understand the varying costs of services across different providers and regions.

Why do healthcare prices vary so much, and how can I get a clear estimate?

Healthcare prices vary significantly due to factors such as different insurance company negotiated rates, provider charges, geographic location, and the specific level of care required. To get a clear estimate, it's best to have the CPT code for the service, your location, and then use a tool like Payerprice to look up fee schedules. Additionally, always confirm with your specific insurance provider and the healthcare facility.

What information do I need to accurately search for a healthcare service's price?

To accurately search for a healthcare service's price, you typically need the specific CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) code for the service, your geographic location (city/state or zip code), and ideally, information about your insurance plan. With this information, you can use specialized tools such as Payerprice to find relevant fee schedules.

CPT 29880 Fee Schedule

Q: What factors affect fee schedules?

Fee schedules are affected by Medicare & Medicaid Rates (government-set reimbursement amounts), Private Insurance Rates (negotiated rates between providers and insurance companies), Geographic Location (costs may be higher in urban areas), and Provider Type (hospital providers may have different rates than private practice).

Last Verified: October 2026

Healthcare providers use this code to document and receive reimbursement for visits that address moderate-level medical decision-making, often including multiple diagnoses or prescription management.

Knee Arthroscopy Surgery, Arthroscopy Knee Surgical With Meniscectomy Medial And Lateral Including Any Meniscal Shaving Including Debridement Shaving Of Articular Cartilage Chondroplasty Same Or Separate Compartment S When Performed

Key Fact	Detail
Service Type	Surgery Surgical Procedures on the Musculoskeletal System
Common Place of Service	24 - Ambulatory Surgical Center 22 - On Campus Outpatient Hospital
Common Modifiers	None RT - Right side of body LT - Left side of body
Complexity Level	Moderate
Medicare Fee Schedule	View Medicare rates for 29880
Medicaid Fee Schedule	View Medicaid rates for 29880

National average reimbursement for CPT 29880 by major payers:

$804.33

$801.91

$873.75

$946.51

Compare published rates across providers.

Choose a payer to see a sample of rates for CPT 29880.

CPT 29880

5 of 25 sample ratesHigher to lower in this preview

Ashraf El Naga
WAOrthopaedic Surgery PhysicianNPI 1215294087Tax ID 94-3281660
$3,590.83Published rate
Sonya Ahmed
North Florida Surgeons, P.A.
FLOrthopaedic Surgery PhysicianNPI 1477757060Tax ID 59-3366100
$1,181.29Published rate
Bess Brackett
Banner Health
VTOrthopaedic Surgery PhysicianNPI 1043269491Tax ID 45-0233470
$1,075.08Published rate
Marvin Dingle
Dominion Health Medical Associates, Ltd
NCOrthopaedic Surgery PhysicianNPI 1346620085Tax ID 54-1060357
$866.71Published rate
Todd Kinnebrew
Cardiac Cin Of West Palm LLC
GAOrthopaedic Surgery PhysicianNPI 1932150729Tax ID 82-3859601
$583.54Published rate

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Summit Women's CareDenver, Colorado

September 2, 2026

Contracting Manager
UnitedHealthcare
Commercial PPO

Re: Request for fee schedule renegotiation

We request a formal review of our Commercial PPO fee schedule. The comparison below summarizes our current rate alongside published rates for comparable Denver-area practices.

Market evidence · CPT 59485

Current rate: $152.40
Market median: $147.00
Market position: 61st percentile

The comparison includes 1,284 published rates from 96 provider groups, scoped to OB/GYN providers in a professional, office-based setting.

We would welcome a discussion of our fee schedule and the supporting July 2026 market analysis. Please let us know a suitable time to review the comparison together.

Sincerely,
Summit Women's Care

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CPT 29880 vs. Other Surgical Procedures on the Musculoskeletal System Codes

The CPT 29880 code is part of the Surgery services used for Surgical Procedures on the Musculoskeletal System. It represents a moderate-complexity encounter and is one of several codes that vary based on time spent, level of medical decision-making, and documentation requirements.

The CPT 29880 code involves more provider time and moderate medical decision-making, unlike lower-level codes that require less time and simpler assessments. It typically includes multiple diagnoses, medication management, or test interpretation, leading to higher reimbursement and more detailed documentation requirements.

Code	Complexity	Description
29866-CPT	High	Autgrft Implnt Knee W Scope, Arthroscopy Knee Surgical Osteochondral Autograft S Eg Mosaicplasty Includes Harvesting Of The Autograft S
29867-CPT	High	Arthroscopy Knee Surg; Osteochondral Allogrft (Eg Mosaicplasty, Arthroscopy Knee Surgical; Osteochondral Allograft (Eg Mosaicplasty
29877-CPT	Moderate	Scope Procedure To Repair Knee, Surgery Using A Scope (Arthroscopy) To Repair Or Remove Damaged Cartilage. The Procedure May Involve Reshaping One Or More Bones In The Joint To Stimulate Bone Growth.
29880-CPT	Moderate	Knee Arthroscopy Surgery, Arthroscopy Knee Surgical With Meniscectomy Medial And Lateral Including Any Meniscal Shaving Including Debridement Shaving Of Articular Cartilage Chondroplasty Same Or Separate Compartment S When Performed

What is a fee schedule?

A fee schedule is a list of fixed prices that healthcare providers charge for specific services, including CPT 29880. These prices vary depending on payer type (Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance), geographic location, and provider contracts.

Understanding the 29880 fee schedule helps patients estimate costs and providers optimize billing for accurate reimbursements.

Factors that affect fee schedules

Medicare & Medicaid Rates

Government-set reimbursement amounts

Private Insurance Rates

Negotiated rates between providers and insurance companies

Geographic Location

Costs may be higher in urban areas.

Provider Type

Hospital providers may have different rates than private practice.

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CPT 29880 Fee Schedule

Ashraf El Naga

Sonya Ahmed

Bess Brackett

Marvin Dingle

Todd Kinnebrew