Prices at 15 hospitals in Kentucky, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $18,767 — 159% above the US median ($7,242), roughly 20.9× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital | Somerset, KY | $18,767 | — | ★ 2/5 | 180 min | — |
| Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital | Paducah, KY | $19,507 | $7,213 | ★ 3/5 | 173 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.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $18,767 — about 20.9× the Medicare rate ($898). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($1,796).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $32,512 list price could save about $13,745 (42%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
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