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Knee Cartilage Repair With Your Own Bone Plugs

Michigan rates for HCPCS 29866

A knee arthroscopy procedure that repairs a damaged patch of joint cartilage by transplanting small plugs of healthy bone and cartilage taken from a less weight-bearing area of the patient's own knee. The plugs are harvested and inserted through small camera-guided incisions in the same operation, filling the damaged area with living tissue rather than scar tissue. It is used for a focal area of cartilage damage rather than widespread arthritis.

Rates data updated October 2026.

How much does Knee Cartilage Repair With Your Own Bone Plugs cost?

$1,413

Typical negotiated rate. In Michigan, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $1,413 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $1,380 from a physician practice, and about $4,169 from a hospital or other facility.

These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 6 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

Prices by location type

Billed byTypicalRange
Physician practiceA doctor's office, clinic or independent provider$1,380$1,175 to $1,622
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$4,169$3,548 to $6,918

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $4,169 · 10th to 90th $1,349 to $11,482Professionalmedian $1,380 · 10th to 90th $955 to $2,291
$500$1K$2K$5K$10K$20Kfacility $4,169professional $1,380

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,348.96
Median
$4,073.80
Typical High
$5,754.40
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,348.96
Median
$1,412.54
Typical High
$1,412.54
BCBS Michigan
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$4,168.69
Median
$5,370.32
Typical High
$12,882.50
BCBS Michigan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$302.00
Median
$1,819.70
Typical High
$2,290.87
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$812.83
Median
$1,230.27
Typical High
$3,162.28
Health Alliance Plan
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,691.53
Median
$3,467.37
Typical High
$4,897.79
Health Alliance Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,071.52
Median
$1,348.96
Typical High
$1,513.56
Priority Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$812.83
Median
$1,230.27
Typical High
$1,862.09
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$891.25
Median
$2,818.38
Typical High
$10,232.93
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,122.02
Median
$1,258.93
Typical High
$1,412.54
9 more rates with less common billing modifiers

A modifier changes what was billed, for example a reduced or repeated service. Each of these modifiers carries under 10% of the published rates for this code. Modifier combinations, and modifiers with fewer than 30 rates for a carrier, are not listed.

Insurance Carrier
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$1,023.29
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$1,047.13
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$208.93
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$134.90
Median
$141.25
Typical High
$141.25
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$954.99
Median
$977.24
Typical High
$977.24
BCBS Michigan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$2,454.71
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$2,454.71
Health Alliance Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$1,000.00
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$1,047.13
Health Alliance Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$204.17
Median
$208.93
Typical High
$208.93
Health Alliance Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$134.90
Median
$141.25
Typical High
$141.25
Health Alliance Plan
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$933.25
Median
$977.24
Typical High
$977.24

Where Michigan sits

The same service costs 7.6 times more in Alaska than in Texas. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.

Michigan· 27th of 51

$1,413

AK $4,266TX $562

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.