What a knee replacement costs if you have no insurance

What a self-pay knee replacement can cost

Knee replacement is surgery that swaps parts of the knee joint for artificial parts, says MedlinePlus, a health site from the National Library of Medicine. It is usually done when other treatments for knee pain have not helped enough. Most often it treats knee osteoarthritis, which is wear that thins the cushion in the joint.

Hospitals often have a list price that very few people pay. A 2023 study of 20 top orthopedic hospitals read their posted price lists from May 2020. The study appeared in a journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. It found a median list price of $68,016 for a hip or knee replacement with no complications. The prices ranged from $39,927 to $195,264. A list price is a sticker price, so please do not treat it as the bill you will owe.

A self-pay bundle is a single price for the whole surgery. One large orthopedic practice in Illinois posts one for people who pay on their own. Its page, last changed in April 2026, lists $22,500 for a total knee replacement. The price includes the fees for the surgeon and the anesthesia doctor. It also covers the facility and the implant, along with normal follow-up care. It leaves out tests and physical therapy, and it also leaves out the cost of complications. The patient pays in full before the surgery, which is a same-day procedure at the practice's own facility.

We found only a few bundles like this that are posted publicly, and prices in your area may be higher or lower. Please call and ask rather than counting on this number.

What Medicare pays, as a comparison

Medicare is the federal health plan for people 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. Its payment rates are not cash prices, and you cannot use them to buy surgery without insurance. They do give a fair national yardstick, because they come from a government schedule and not from a hospital's wish list.

• For 2026, Medicare pays a hospital outpatient department about $13,117 for a total knee replacement. That number comes from the January 2026 payment file of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
• Medicare pays the surgeon about $1,159 for the same operation in 2026, using the national figure on its fee schedule. This payment also covers the surgeon's care for 90 days after the surgery.
• Anesthesia and any rehab stay are billed separately from these two amounts.

The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons says most primary knee implants cost from $3,000 to $10,000. Busy hospitals that buy many implants often pay much less. These facts help explain why a bundle near $22,500 is realistic. They also explain why a list price near $68,000 is not what most people pay.

The Medicare amounts for the hospital and the surgeon add up to about $14,276. The one bundle we found sits above that sum and far below the median list price, so only a written quote tells you where your own price will fall.

What makes the price go up or down

A knee replacement bill has several parts, and each one can change the total.

• The facility fee pays for the operating room and the nursing staff, plus supplies. It is usually the biggest piece, and it is often lower at a surgery center than at a large hospital.
• The surgeon's fee pays for the operation and for follow-up visits.
• The anesthesia fee pays for the doctor or nurse who keeps you asleep or numb and safe.
• The implant is the metal and plastic joint that stays in your body.
• Tests before surgery, such as X-rays and blood work, are often billed separately.
• Care after the hospital, such as a rehab stay or home visits, is another cost. The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons says a rehab stay can top $20,000. It says outpatient therapy often costs much less.

MedlinePlus says some people go home the same day as the surgery, while others stay in the hospital for a few days. Where you have the surgery, and how long you stay, changes the bill a lot. Your surgeon decides what is safe for you, so this page cannot tell you which setting to pick.

A knee replacement can replace all the damaged parts of the knee or only part of it, which is called a partial knee replacement. Ask the surgeon which operation is planned and what the price covers.

How to ask for a bundled cash price

Start by asking each surgeon's office for a bundled self-pay price in writing. Ask what it includes, such as the surgeon's fee and the implant. Then ask what it leaves out, such as therapy or tests. Our guide on asking for the cash price has word-for-word phone scripts.

Federal rules make it easier for you to compare prices. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says every hospital must post its prices online. Each hospital must offer a file for computers and a list of common services written for patients. Our hospital price library can help you look up what hospitals near you post. A posted cash price is a good starting point for a conversation, and it is not a promise of your final bill.

You also have a right to a good faith estimate. The same agency says a provider usually must give an uninsured or self-pay patient an estimate of the cost. This applies if you ask for one, or if you schedule the care at least 3 business days ahead. You may be able to dispute a final bill that is at least $400 more than the estimate. Our guide on the good faith estimate explains each step.

Ways to lower the bill

If a hospital will do the surgery, ask whether it has a financial assistance program. Nonprofit hospitals must have one, and it can cut or erase a bill for people with lower incomes, and you can apply before the surgery. Our guide on hospital financial assistance shows how to ask.

A primary care doctor can examine your knee and write a referral. The doctor can also order X-rays if you need them. A cash-pay doctor on a monthly plan may do this for a small, known fee. To see local options, look up a cash-pay doctor. Direct primary care, the monthly-membership style, usually costs $50 to $200 a month. You can also read our guide on hip replacement costs, because many of the same price rules apply.

Please do not delay care that a doctor says you need because of the price. Call the surgeon's office and the hospital's billing office first and say that cost is the worry. They may know of a payment plan or a lower price that you have not heard about.

For the bigger picture on operations, read surgery costs without insurance.

When to get care right away

This page is for general information, and it does not give medical advice. In an emergency, such as chest pain, trouble breathing, or signs of a stroke, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Emergency rooms must see you whether or not you have insurance.