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Knee Cartilage Repair With Your Own Bone Plugs

Minnesota 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?

$2,291

Typical negotiated rate. In Minnesota, October 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $2,291 for this service. The price depends on where it is billed: about $2,188 from a physician practice, and about $3,236 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$2,188$1,585 to $3,020
FacilityA hospital or hospital-owned outpatient department$3,236$1,905 to $5,248

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $3,236 · 10th to 90th $1,047 to $11,749Professionalmedian $2,188 · 10th to 90th $1,047 to $3,981
$1K$2K$5K$10K$20Kfacility $3,236professional $2,188

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
$1,047.13
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$1,047.13
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$776.25
Median
$776.25
Typical High
$776.25
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$154.88
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$724.44
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$724.44
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,047.13
Median
$1,047.13
Typical High
$1,071.52
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$776.25
Median
$776.25
Typical High
$794.33
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$154.88
Median
$154.88
Typical High
$158.49
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$724.44
Median
$724.44
Typical High
$741.31
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$2,511.89
Median
$11,748.98
Typical High
$26,915.35
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,659.59
Median
$2,238.72
Typical High
$3,630.78
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Professional
Modifier
54 · Surgery only
Typical Low
$1,318.26
Median
$1,819.70
Typical High
$2,884.03
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Professional
Modifier
55 · Aftercare only
Typical Low
$331.13
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$724.44
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Professional
Modifier
78 · Unplanned return to OR
Typical Low
$1,412.54
Median
$1,905.46
Typical High
$3,090.30
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,698.24
Median
$2,630.27
Typical High
$5,128.61
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,621.81
Median
$2,754.23
Typical High
$4,365.16
Health Partners
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,513.56
Median
$2,454.71
Typical High
$4,265.80
Health Partners
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,445.44
Median
$2,570.40
Typical High
$4,168.69
Medica
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,819.70
Median
$4,677.35
Typical High
$10,715.19
Medica
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,122.02
Median
$2,041.74
Typical High
$7,762.47
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$3,235.94
Median
$5,370.32
Typical High
$12,882.50
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
None
Typical Low
$1,071.52
Median
$1,862.09
Typical High
$3,801.89
4 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
Facility
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$104.71
Typical High
$104.71
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
56 · Pre-op care only
Typical Low
$104.71
Median
$104.71
Typical High
$107.15
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Facility
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$14,125.38
Median
$26,302.68
Typical High
$47,863.01
BCBS Minnesota
Setting
Professional
Modifier
50 · Both sides
Typical Low
$2,511.89
Median
$3,388.44
Typical High
$5,495.41

Where Minnesota 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.

Minnesota· 6th of 51

$2,291

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.