Nobody opens a visit by asking me about hip replacement cost. They ask about pain. They ask about walking, and about keeping up with the grandkids. Then, as we are wrapping up, the real question comes out: what is this going to cost me?
It is a fair question. For years it was almost impossible to answer honestly. That has changed, so here is what I tell my patients.
How much does hip replacement cost?
Published hip replacement cost estimates in the United States run from roughly $18,000 to $54,000 for the whole episode of care. The average most often quoted is near $39,000. Billed charges at some hospital systems climb well past $100,000.
Those spreads look absurd until you know what is being measured. Some figures are billed charges, which almost nobody pays. Others are negotiated insurance rates. Others are cash prices.
Here is the rough picture:
- Inpatient total hip replacement: about $43,370 on average
- Outpatient total hip replacement: about $27,220 on average
- Bundled self-pay pricing in Tennessee: reported between $17,466 and $27,679
- Full billed charges at some hospitals: above $100,000
After more than twenty years and over 700 joint replacements a year, I reframe the question for people. The hospital’s charge is not the number that matters. What you owe is.
What is included in the hip replacement cost?
A hip replacement is not one bill. It is five or six bills that arrive over several weeks. That is why patients feel blindsided.
- Facility fee: the hospital or surgery center. Almost always the largest line item.
- Surgeon fee: the operation plus all follow-up care for 90 days.
- Anesthesia: the anesthesiologist, plus any nerve blocks used for pain control.
- The implant: the artificial hip itself. Primary hip implants run about $3,000 to $10,000.
- After-care: physical therapy, a walker, home health, and medications.
Most people are surprised by how small the surgeon’s share is. The average Medicare payment to the surgeon for a total hip replacement has been reported near $1,375. That one fee covers the operation and three months of follow-up visits.
The line item that quietly wrecks a budget is the last one. A stay in a skilled nursing or rehab facility can add more than $20,000. It can nearly double the total. For most healthy patients, going straight home with outpatient therapy is safer and much cheaper.
Why does hip replacement cost vary so much?
Hip replacement cost varies because hospitals and insurers negotiate prices privately. Those rates differ a great deal from one contract to the next.
A large health system with little local competition can negotiate higher payment than a smaller one. Two patients can have the same operation, with the same implant, in the same city, and still see very different totals.
Geography matters too. Rent, staffing, and malpractice premiums differ by region. All of it lands in the facility fee.
Your own anatomy counts as well. Past surgery, existing hardware, or an unusual bone shape can make the operation longer and add cost. I would rather say that upfront than surprise you later.
What will I actually pay with insurance?
If you carry insurance, the hip replacement cost you owe is set by your plan, not by the hospital’s charge. Three numbers control it: your deductible, your coinsurance, and your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
A hip replacement is expensive enough that most patients reach their out-of-pocket maximum in the year they have surgery. After that ceiling, the plan pays the rest.
Hip replacement cost with Medicare
Medicare covers hip replacement when it is medically necessary. Surgery billed as an inpatient stay falls under Part A, so the Part A deductible applies. Surgery done as an outpatient falls under Part B. There you owe the annual deductible plus 20 percent coinsurance.
Those percentages are fixed. The dollar amounts change every year, and Medicare Advantage plans set their own rules. Call the number on your card and ask.
Hip replacement cost without insurance
Uninsured patients face the widest range, roughly $12,000 to $45,000. This is also where you have the most room to negotiate.
Ask directly for the self-pay or cash price. It is often far below the billed charge, because no insurance company sits in the middle. Bundled pricing sites list Tennessee hip packages between $17,466 and $27,679, which gives you a real number to compare against.
Does outpatient surgery lower the hip replacement cost?
Yes. Moving a hip replacement from a hospital to a surgery center lowers the total, often by thousands of dollars. The facility fee is lower and there is no overnight stay to pay for.
One national comparison put average inpatient hip replacement near $30,685 against $22,078 in the outpatient setting. Newer figures show a similar gap.
Not everyone qualifies. Age alone does not rule you out. Heart and lung conditions, sleep apnea, diabetes control, and help at home all factor in. When a patient is a good candidate, the cheaper path is usually the faster one too. Here is more on outpatient joint replacement surgery.
Does robotic technology raise the price?
Robotic assistance adds cost at the facility level for the equipment, the planning scan, and the instruments. Whether any of that reaches your bill depends on your plan. For most insured patients it does not, because it sits inside the facility fee.
I use the Mako® robotic-assisted platform for hip and knee replacement, and I am a paid consultant to Stryker, the manufacturer, so weigh my view with that in mind. I believe the technology helps me place implants more precisely. It is not a reason to pay a premium you cannot afford. Ask whether it changes your estimate at all before you assume it does.
What does hip replacement cost in Franklin and Nashville?
Middle Tennessee hip replacement cost sits close to national averages. Self-pay and bundled packages in the state have been reported between $17,466 and $27,679, against an estimated national average near $43,058.
I operate at the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee in Franklin, on the Williamson Medical Center campus. We have a hospital and an on-campus surgery center. Patients drive to us from Nashville, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Columbia, and Murfreesboro.
Our office cannot quote you a hospital price. We can tell you which setting we recommend, confirm we are in network, and point you to the right person for a written estimate.
How do I get a real hip replacement cost estimate?
Ask for a written, itemized estimate before you schedule. Ask every party that will bill you. Federal rules require hospitals to publish pricing for common procedures, and most facilities now have a financial counselor for exactly this.
Here is the short list I give patients:
- Ask the surgeon’s office for the procedure code and whether they are in network.
- Ask the facility for a written estimate that names the setting: hospital or surgery center.
- Ask whether anesthesia and any surgical assistant bill separately.
- Call your insurer with that code. Ask for your remaining deductible and out-of-pocket maximum.
- Ask what happens if you need therapy or a short rehab stay.
Five phone calls. Most patients have a usable number within a week. If you are early in the process, our guide to preparing for hip replacement surgery covers the rest of the checklist.
Is a hip replacement worth the cost?
For a patient with bone-on-bone arthritis who has already tried therapy, injections, and activity changes, I think it is one of the best values in medicine. More than 90 percent of patients report lasting pain relief. Most modern implants still work well at 15 to 20 years.
Waiting has a price too: lost work, canceled trips, a smaller life, and the muscle loss that makes recovery harder later. I wrote about that in the real cost of delaying joint replacement.
Never let a number you have not verified make this decision for you. Get the estimate first.
Talk with Dr. Calendine about your options
If hip pain is limiting your life, come talk with me. You will get a straight answer about surgery, candidacy, and what to expect financially. No referral is required. Learn more about total hip replacement and robotic joint replacement, or read how to choose an orthopaedic surgeon.
Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee
3000 Edward Curd Lane, Franklin, TN 37067
(615) 791-2630
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Calendine
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Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice. Cost figures are published estimates and averages. They are not a quote, and they do not reflect pricing at any specific facility. Always confirm coverage and pricing with your insurer and the treating facility, and speak with a qualified orthopaedic surgeon about your own care.
References
- American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. Total Hip Replacement: A Breakdown of Costs. hipkneeinfo.org
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Local Coverage Determination: Major Joint Replacement (Hip and Knee), L33618. Medicare Coverage Database
- Federal Register. Medicare and Medicaid Programs: CY 2020 Hospital Outpatient PPS Policy Changes and Price Transparency Requirements. November 27, 2019. federalregister.gov
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Total Hip Replacement. OrthoInfo
- Blue Cross Blue Shield. A Study of Cost Variations for Knee and Hip Replacement Surgeries in the US. Health of America Report. bcbs.com
- CareCredit Well U. What Is the Average Cost of Hip Replacement Surgery? June 12, 2026. carecredit.com
- MDsave. Hip Replacement Surgery (outpatient) Cost in Tennessee. mdsave.com
