Kidney removal (nephrectomy) is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1043 US hospitals across 50 states, from their machine-readable files.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $3,603 — 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 $5,147 list price could save about $1,544 (30%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Vincent Hospital | Erie, PA | $658 | $1,092 | ★ 4/5 | 219 min | — |
| Jefferson Hospital | Louisville, GA | $695 | $1,092 | — | 99 min | — |
| Jefferson Hospital | Jefferson Hills, PA | $695 | $1,092 | ★ 4/5 | 170 min | — |
| Unity Health-Jacksonville | Jacksonville, AR | $723 | — | — | 130 min | — |
| Unity Health-Newport | Newport, AR | $723 | — | — | 103 min | — |
| Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital | Nacogdoches, TX | $736 | $1,918 | ★ 2/5 | 174 min | — |
| Westfield Memorial Hospital, Inc | Westfield, NY | $804 | $1,092 | — | 120 min | — |
| Canonsburg General Hospital | Canonsburg, PA | $804 | $1,092 | ★ 3/5 | 155 min | — |
| Forbes Hospital | Monroeville, PA | $804 | $1,092 | ★ 3/5 | 261 min | — |
| O'connor Hospital | Delhi, NY | $812 | $1,186 | — | 95 min | — |
| Little Falls Hospital | Little Falls, NY | $812 | $977 | ★ 2/5 | 109 min | — |
| Cobleskill Regional Hospital | Cobleskill, NY | $812 | $1,138 | ★ 4/5 | 111 min | — |
| Adventist Health Tulare | Tulare, CA | $841 | $1,243 | ★ 3/5 | 198 min | — |
| Grove City Medical Center | Grove City, PA | $841 | $1,092 | ★ 4/5 | 150 min | — |
| Jefferson Health-Northeast | Philadelphia, PA | $853 | $1,481 | ★ 2/5 | 316 min | — |
| Allegheny Valley Hospital | Natrona, PA | $877 | $1,092 | ★ 4/5 | 203 min | — |
| Allegheny General Hospital | Pittsburgh, PA | $877 | $1,092 | ★ 3/5 | 274 min | — |
| Ahn Wexford Hospital | Wexford, PA | $951 | $1,450 | ★ 5/5 | 184 min | — |
| West Penn Hospital | Pittsburgh, PA | $987 | $1,450 | ★ 3/5 | 208 min | — |
| San Juan Hospital | Monticello, UT | $1,165 | $1,317 | — | 128 min | — |
| Boulder Community Health | Boulder, CO | $1,306 | $1,597 | ★ 4/5 | 135 min | — |
| Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital | Shelbyville, TN | $1,314 | $1,681 | ★ 4/5 | 125 min | — |
| Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital | Tullahoma, TN | $1,314 | $1,585 | ★ 3/5 | 168 min | — |
| Yuma Regional Medical Center | Yuma, AZ | $1,355 | $1,308 | ★ 2/5 | 192 min | — |
| Unm Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $1,375 | $1,143 | ★ 2/5 | 273 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 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: $3,603; Medicare pays $1,164.
| Insurer | Hospitals | Negotiated median |
|---|---|---|
| Medicaid | 90 |
$68 – $3,042 |
| Medicare | 106 |
$87 – $3,042 |
| Univera | 11 |
$93 – $1,733 |
| AmeriHealth | 71 |
$210 – $5,018 |
| Geisinger | 24 |
$218 – $5,591 |
| Tricare / VA | 86 |
$102 – $3,369 |
| Amerigroup | 61 |
$471 – $2,365 |
| Security Health Plan | 24 |
$498 – $13,261 |
| Devoted Health | 41 |
$1,187 – $13,780 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 60 |
$316 – $3,298 |
| Centene / Ambetter | 250 |
$424 – $3,232 |
| Sanford Health Plan | 24 |
$1,115 – $23,928 |
| UCare | 24 |
$869 – $3,361 |
| Molina Healthcare | 206 |
$514 – $3,950 |
| Priority Health | 26 |
$593 – $4,115 |
| Health Net | 56 |
$341 – $4,089 |
| Independent Health | 16 |
$681 – $2,752 |
| Highmark | 50 |
$155 – $3,232 |
| MVP Health Care | 30 |
$640 – $5,573 |
| Medica | 47 |
$938 – $4,264 |
| Coventry | 20 |
$456 – $5,288 |
| HealthPartners | 63 |
$598 – $6,530 |
| Humana | 341 |
$969 – $17,832 |
| Workers' Comp / No-Fault | 21 |
$2,712 – $3,042 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 488 |
$362 – $22,429 |
| MultiPlan / PHCS network | 113 |
$270 – $8,322 |
| EmblemHealth | 38 |
$1,453 – $18,107 |
| SelectHealth | 27 |
$1,245 – $5,307 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 652 |
$989 – $10,524 |
| Oscar Health | 79 |
$1,844 – $6,587 |
| Harvard Pilgrim | 12 |
$1,163 – $5,936 |
| Aetna | 503 |
$939 – $13,564 |
| UPMC Health Plan | 31 |
$1,185 – $9,517 |
| Anthem | 231 |
$496 – $12,600 |
| Healthcare Highways | 23 |
$2,069 – $14,612 |
| Cigna | 430 |
$1,650 – $24,339 |
| AvMed | 32 |
$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 |
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 1043 US hospitals across 50 states, the typical (median) cash price is $3,603, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $5,147, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $2,716, 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?
Does Medicare cover Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
What does Medicare pay for Kidney removal (nephrectomy)?
Why do Kidney removal (nephrectomy) prices vary between hospitals?
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
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