Kidney removal (nephrectomy) Cost — Compare Hospital Prices

Kidney removal (nephrectomy) is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1025 US hospitals across 50 states, from their machine-readable files.

$3,594median cash price · 1025 hospitals, 50 statestypically $1,380–$14,834 depending on the hospital

≈ 3.1× Medicare · On the higher sideFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$5,658

Cash / self-pay

$3,594

Insurer-negotiated

$2,887

Medicare pays

$1,164

$1,380$14,834

Median cash $3,594 · Medicare $1,164 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $3,594 — about 3.1× the Medicare rate ($1,164). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($2,329).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $5,658 list price could save about $2,064 (36%).

Estimate what you’ll pay

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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

See negotiated rates for your insurer:

Hospital	Location	Cash	Insurer	CMS rating	ER wait	Readmit
Saint Vincent Hospital	Erie, PA	$658	$1,092	★ 4/5	212 min	14.7%
Jefferson Hospital	Louisville, GA	$695	$1,092	—	92 min	15.2%
Jefferson Hospital	Jefferson Hills, PA	$695	$1,092	★ 4/5	172 min	15.4%
Unity Health-Jacksonville	Jacksonville, AR	$723	—	—	130 min	15.2%
Unity Health-Newport	Newport, AR	$723	—	—	104 min	15.4%
Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital	Nacogdoches, TX	$736	$1,918	★ 2/5	178 min	15.4%
Westfield Memorial Hospital, Inc	Westfield, NY	$804	$1,092	—	114 min	14.8%
Canonsburg General Hospital	Canonsburg, PA	$804	$1,092	★ 3/5	155 min	15.6%
Forbes Hospital	Monroeville, PA	$804	$1,092	★ 3/5	252 min	16.5%
O'connor Hospital	Delhi, NY	$812	$1,186	—	88 min	14.7%
Little Falls Hospital	Little Falls, NY	$812	$977	★ 2/5	110 min	15.7%
Cobleskill Regional Hospital	Cobleskill, NY	$812	$1,138	★ 4/5	109 min	14.6%
Adventist Health Tulare	Tulare, CA	$841	$1,243	★ 3/5	195 min	15.0%
Grove City Medical Center	Grove City, PA	$841	$1,092	★ 4/5	147 min	14.1%
Jefferson Health-Northeast	Philadelphia, PA	$853	$1,481	★ 2/5	290 min	15.4%
Allegheny Valley Hospital	Natrona, PA	$877	$1,092	★ 4/5	201 min	15.7%
Allegheny General Hospital	Pittsburgh, PA	$877	$1,092	★ 3/5	274 min	14.7%
Ahn Wexford Hospital	Wexford, PA	$951	$1,450	★ 5/5	186 min	15.3%
West Penn Hospital	Pittsburgh, PA	$987	$1,450	★ 3/5	203 min	16.3%
San Juan Hospital	Monticello, UT	$1,165	$1,317	—	122 min	14.9%
South Central Reg Med Ctr	Laurel, MS	$1,218	$1,053	★ 1/5	129 min	16.9%
Boulder Community Health	Boulder, CO	$1,306	$1,597	★ 4/5	133 min	13.6%
Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital	Shelbyville, TN	$1,314	$1,681	★ 4/5	123 min	13.6%
Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital	Tullahoma, TN	$1,314	$1,585	★ 3/5	173 min	15.1%
Unm Hospital	Albuquerque, NM	$1,375	$1,143	★ 2/5	279 min	15.3%

CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated August 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.

What insurers pay for Kidney removal (nephrectomy)

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $3,594; Medicare pays $1,164.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
Medicaid	88	$500 $68 – $3,042
Medicare	104	$596 $87 – $3,042
Univera	11	$1,036 $93 – $1,733
AmeriHealth	68	$1,050 $210 – $5,039
Geisinger	22	$1,092 $218 – $8,071
Tricare / VA	85	$1,144 $102 – $3,369
Amerigroup	60	$1,183 $471 – $2,365
Security Health Plan	24	$1,209 $498 – $13,261
Devoted Health	39	$1,259 $1,187 – $13,780
Kaiser Permanente	60	$1,260 $316 – $3,298
Centene / Ambetter	239	$1,262 $424 – $3,232
Sanford Health Plan	24	$1,292 $1,115 – $23,928
UCare	24	$1,306 $869 – $3,361
Molina Healthcare	201	$1,533 $508 – $3,950
Priority Health	26	$1,592 $593 – $4,115
Health Net	55	$1,592 $341 – $4,089
Independent Health	16	$1,596 $681 – $2,752
Highmark	41	$1,685 $126 – $3,042
Coventry	17	$1,910 $419 – $5,255
MVP Health Care	30	$2,036 $621 – $5,573
Medica	47	$2,133 $938 – $4,264
HealthPartners	61	$2,526 $596 – $7,672
Humana	332	$2,569 $969 – $17,832
MultiPlan / PHCS network	99	$2,599 $253 – $8,322
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	21	$2,712 $2,712 – $3,042
Blue Cross Blue Shield	485	$2,725 $362 – $22,429
SelectHealth	27	$3,232 $1,245 – $5,307
UnitedHealthcare	631	$3,356 $985 – $10,576
Oscar Health	68	$3,435 $1,996 – $6,587
Harvard Pilgrim	12	$3,536 $1,163 – $5,936
Aetna	481	$3,654 $939 – $13,642
UPMC Health Plan	29	$4,843 $1,207 – $9,517
Anthem	218	$5,524 $456 – $12,693
Healthcare Highways	23	$5,841 $2,069 – $14,612
EmblemHealth	24	$7,302 $2,239 – $18,107
Cigna	412	$7,743 $1,650 – $24,339
AvMed	32	$11,304 $1,818 – $26,101

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

State	Median cash
Pennsylvania	$951
Utah	$1,165
Colorado	$1,306
New Mexico	$1,501
Indiana	$2,071
Kentucky	$2,071

Prices by city

Prices by state

Doctors who perform this

Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.

Clinician	Specialty	Location	Medicare services
Paul Andrews, M.D.	Urology	Phoenix, AZ	20
Erik Weise, MD	Urology	Centerville, OH	17
Ornob Roy, MD	Urology	Charlotte, NC	15
Sergio Fefer, M.D.	Urology	South Weymouth, MA	15
Dimitar Zlatev, M.D.	Urology	Reno, NV	14
Kent Perry, MD	Urology	Maywood, IL	14
Paul Russo, MD	Urology	New York, NY	14
Nirmish Singla, MD	Urology	Baltimore, MD	14
Spencer Kozinn, M.D.	Urology	Atlanta, GA	14
Naveen Pokala, M.D.	Urology	Columbia, MO	14
Alireza Moinzadeh, MD	Urology	Burlington, MA	14
Eugene Cone, M.D.	Urology	Greenwood, IN	14

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Kidney removal (nephrectomy). It is typically an inpatient service, so Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) pays the hospital a bundled rate — Medicare’s benchmark payment is about $1,164. Your own cost is mainly the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period (a flat amount, not a percentage), plus any physician (Part B) charges. A Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan can change what you owe.

General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 1025 US hospitals across 50 states, the typical (median) cash price is $3,594, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $5,658, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $2,887, a Medicare rate of about $1,164. Most cash prices fall between $1,380 and $14,834 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Kidney removal (nephrectomy) cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 1025 US hospitals is $3,594. Most hospitals fall between $1,380 and $14,834. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

Does Medicare cover Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?

Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part A as an inpatient service (Medicare's benchmark payment is about $1,164). You pay the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period, plus any Part B physician charges.

What does Medicare pay for Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?

Medicare pays about $1,164. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do Kidney removal (nephrectomy) prices vary between hospitals?

Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.

Is the cash price lower than using insurance?

Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

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