Knee Arthroscopy (Meniscectomy) price: Medicare anchor and facility lever
Anchor for Knee Arthroscopy (Meniscectomy) - CPT 29881
$539.38
Hospital OPPS facility anchor, this code billed alone: $3,342.87 (APC 5113, Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures; national unadjusted, before wage-index adjustment).
Knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy, CPT 29881, has the largest hospital facility anchor of the 30 procedures on this site. The surgeon's fee is the same in a hospital and a surgery center; the facility layer is where quotes differ. The code covers one compartment, with chondroplasty included when performed.
CPT code
29881
Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscectomy (medial and lateral, including any meniscal shaving) including debridement or shaving of articular cartilage (chondroplasty), same or separate compartment(s), when performed
CPT 29881 is knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy including chondroplasty when performed. Meniscal repair uses different codes (29882, 29883). Confirm the planned procedure with the surgical office before comparing quotes.
The codes this visit can be billed under
| CPT | PFS office or global | PFS facility (professional) | Global period | Hospital single-service APC | Minimum Medicare copay at hospital |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29881 (this page) | n/a | $539.38 | 90 days | $3,342.87 (APC 5113) | $668.58 |
| 29880 | n/a | $558.25 | 90 days | $3,342.87 (APC 5113) | $668.58 |
In CY2026, 29881 maps to APC 5113 at $3,342.87, with a minimum unadjusted copayment of $668.58, against a surgeon anchor of $539.38 with a 090 global period. Work on both the medial and lateral meniscus is billed as 29880, with a surgeon anchor of $558.25 and the same APC.
Medicare.gov's page on inpatient or outpatient hospital status says the copayment for a single outpatient hospital service cannot be more than the inpatient hospital deductible, which CMS set at $1,736 for 2026. For this procedure the minimum unadjusted copayment shown above sits below that cap.
Because 29881 has a 90-day global period, routine related visits with the surgeon in that window are part of the surgeon's anchor. Physical therapy after the procedure is not; it is billed separately under its own codes, starting with an evaluation such as 97161. A complete written estimate for the whole episode therefore needs the surgeon, the facility, anesthesia, and any planned therapy listed separately.
Inside and outside the 29881 anchor
Covered by the anchor
- Surgeon professional fee for arthroscopy with meniscectomy (PFS anchor below)
- Operating room, arthroscopy equipment, and standard recovery inside the facility payment
Billed outside it
- Anesthesia billed separately
- Pre-operative visits outside the surgical package
- Physical therapy after the procedure when billed separately
- Imaging and lab work ordered before surgery and billed separately
Why prices vary for CPT 29881
The surgeon professional anchor does not change with the building. The facility layer does: a hospital comprehensive APC versus an ASC facility fee for the same code. That is why two quotes for CPT 29881 can differ widely while naming the same surgeon fee. Compare the all-in price by setting.
Ask whether the arthroscopy will be at a hospital outpatient department or an ASC, and get facility, surgeon, and anesthesia fees as separate written lines for CPT 29881.
Questions specific to Knee arthroscopy
- Is the plan for one compartment (29881) or both (29880)?
- Is the surgery scheduled in a hospital or a surgery center, and is the facility fee in the quote?
- Does the quote include anesthesia and any implants or supplies?
- Which post-operative visits fall inside the 90-day global period?
Knee Arthroscopy (Meniscectomy): billing questions
Why can two quotes for 29881 differ so much with the same surgeon?
The surgeon's anchor is the same in a hospital and a surgery center. The facility layer is what changes, and in CY2026 the hospital APC for 29881 is several times the surgeon's fee.
What is the difference between 29881 and 29880?
29881 covers meniscectomy in one compartment, medial or lateral. 29880 covers both. Both map to the same hospital APC in CY2026; the surgeon's anchor is higher for 29880.
Is there a cap on what a Medicare patient pays for one outpatient surgery?
Medicare.gov says the copayment for a single outpatient hospital service cannot be more than the inpatient hospital deductible. The total for all services on a day can be higher.
Is physical therapy after knee arthroscopy part of the surgery price?
No. Therapy is billed under its own codes, such as an evaluation (97161 to 97163) and treatment visits, with their own anchors. The surgeon's 90-day global period covers the surgeon's related visits, not therapy.