Craniotomy (brain surgery) Cost — Compare Hospital Prices

Craniotomy (brain surgery) is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 923 US hospitals across 49 states, from their machine-readable files.

$5,154median cash price · 923 hospitals, 49 statestypically $1,500–$14,526 depending on the hospital

≈ 2.4× Medicare · On the higher sideFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$6,556

Cash / self-pay

$5,154

Insurer-negotiated

$3,499

Medicare pays

$2,161

$1,500$14,526

Median cash $5,154 · Medicare $2,161 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $5,154 — about 2.4× the Medicare rate ($2,161). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($4,323).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $6,556 list price could save about $1,402 (21%).

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	$1,124	$1,450	★ 4/5	219 min	—
Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital	Nacogdoches, TX	$1,183	$3,154	★ 2/5	174 min	—
Jefferson Hospital	Louisville, GA	$1,187	$1,450	—	99 min	—
Jefferson Hospital	Jefferson Hills, PA	$1,187	$1,450	★ 4/5	170 min	—
Westfield Memorial Hospital, Inc	Westfield, NY	$1,374	$1,538	—	120 min	—
Canonsburg General Hospital	Canonsburg, PA	$1,374	$1,450	★ 3/5	155 min	—
Forbes Hospital	Monroeville, PA	$1,374	$1,450	★ 3/5	261 min	—
Unity Health-Jacksonville	Jacksonville, AR	$1,384	—	—	130 min	—
Unity Health-Newport	Newport, AR	$1,384	—	—	103 min	—
Holy Cross Hospital	Ft Lauderdale, FL	$1,425	$504	★ 4/5	159 min	—
Grove City Medical Center	Grove City, PA	$1,436	$1,538	★ 4/5	150 min	—
Allegheny Valley Hospital	Natrona, PA	$1,499	$1,450	★ 4/5	203 min	—
Allegheny General Hospital	Pittsburgh, PA	$1,499	$1,450	★ 3/5	274 min	—
O'connor Hospital	Delhi, NY	$1,499	$2,020	—	95 min	—
Little Falls Hospital	Little Falls, NY	$1,499	$1,671	★ 2/5	109 min	—
Cobleskill Regional Hospital	Cobleskill, NY	$1,499	$1,901	★ 4/5	111 min	—
Hospital Pavia Caguas	Caguas, PR	$1,500	$1,000	—	—	—
Cedar-Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital	Marina Del Rey, CA	$1,551	$6,796	★ 4/5	180 min	—
Ahn Wexford Hospital	Wexford, PA	$1,624	$1,450	★ 5/5	184 min	—
Bassett Healthcare	Cooperstown, NY	$1,666	$2,316	★ 2/5	199 min	—
West Penn Hospital	Pittsburgh, PA	$1,686	$1,450	★ 3/5	208 min	—
Red Bud Regional Hospital	Red Bud, IL	$1,733	$2,971	★ 4/5	122 min	—
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Carson	Carson City, MI	$1,907	$3,572	★ 4/5	91 min	—
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Clinton	Saint Johns, MI	$1,907	$3,572	★ 4/5	182 min	—
University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Eaton	Charlotte, MI	$1,907	$3,572	★ 1/5	168 min	—

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 October 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 Craniotomy (brain surgery)

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: $5,154; Medicare pays $2,161.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
Medicaid	60	$718 $115 – $1,014
Health Net	49	$834 $122 – $4,910
Medicare	78	$904 $167 – $1,857
Centene / Ambetter	204	$948 $143 – $2,891
Highmark	41	$1,044 $169 – $2,726
AmeriHealth	64	$1,050 $210 – $2,848
Kaiser Permanente	52	$1,054 $140 – $3,295
Tricare / VA	58	$1,067 $166 – $2,181
Geisinger	20	$1,450 $290 – $12,002
MultiPlan / PHCS network	69	$1,502 $123 – $6,956
Univera	11	$1,790 $230 – $2,527
Security Health Plan	18	$1,884 $786 – $7,019
Sanford Health Plan	23	$1,884 $277 – $15,343
Amerigroup	48	$1,903 $1,014 – $2,365
Priority Health	25	$1,950 $786 – $7,391
UCare	23	$2,035 $1,418 – $5,237
HealthPartners	59	$2,078 $360 – $9,697
Blue Cross Blue Shield	391	$2,080 $190 – $26,424
MVP Health Care	29	$2,133 $695 – $5,573
Devoted Health	36	$2,159 $2,039 – $13,780
Molina Healthcare	187	$2,175 $190 – $3,242
Anthem	197	$2,480 $197 – $15,786
Medica	40	$2,517 $1,482 – $6,825
Coventry	16	$2,621 $450 – $4,645
Independent Health	8	$2,839 $1,014 – $2,839
Aetna	361	$3,030 $363 – $9,943
Humana	272	$3,261 $265 – $4,690
UnitedHealthcare	562	$3,408 $904 – $10,300
Oscar Health	69	$3,549 $1,815 – $6,587
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	16	$4,144 $4,144 – $4,144
UPMC Health Plan	21	$4,311 $943 – $15,564
SelectHealth	17	$4,882 $1,426 – $5,515
Harvard Pilgrim	9	$5,277 $786 – $8,619
Healthcare Highways	23	$5,841 $2,069 – $14,612
Cigna	339	$6,973 $1,650 – $23,597
AvMed	29	$8,168 $786 – $11,527
EmblemHealth	21	$12,590 $4,720 – $18,107

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
Georgia	$1,187
Pennsylvania	$1,624
New York	$2,125
Colorado	$2,174
Nevada	$2,959
Nebraska	$3,097

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
Nelson Moss, MD	Neurosurgery	Houston, TX	55
Donald Orourke, MD	Neurosurgery	Philadelphia, PA	49
Brian Nahed, MD	Neurosurgery	Boston, MA	40
James Elder, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Columbus, OH	35
Wenya Bi	Neurosurgery	Boston, MA	33
Andrew Tsung, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Peoria, IL	32
Ricardo Komotar, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Miami, FL	32
Sujit Prabhu, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Houston, TX	31
Nader Sanai, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Phoenix, AZ	30
Allan Friedman, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Durham, NC	29
Thomas Pittman, MD	Neurosurgery	Lexington, KY	29
Jon Weingart, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Baltimore, MD	29

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Craniotomy (brain surgery)?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Craniotomy (brain surgery). It is typically an inpatient service, so Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) pays the hospital a bundled rate — Medicare’s benchmark payment is about $2,161. 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 923 US hospitals across 49 states, the typical (median) cash price is $5,154, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $6,556, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $3,499, a Medicare rate of about $2,161. Most cash prices fall between $1,500 and $14,526 — 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 Craniotomy (brain surgery) cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 923 US hospitals is $5,154. Most hospitals fall between $1,500 and $14,526. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

Does Medicare cover Craniotomy (brain surgery)?

Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part A as an inpatient service (Medicare's benchmark payment is about $2,161). You pay the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period, plus any Part B physician charges.

What does Medicare pay for Craniotomy (brain surgery)?

Medicare pays about $2,161. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do Craniotomy (brain surgery) 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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