Price AtlasInteractive atlas · All states · techysurgeon.comPalomar Health Downtown Campus: what a joint replacement costs
Escondido, CA 92025 · CMS Certification Number 050115. What Medicare pays this hospital for knee, hip and shoulder replacement, what it lists, how it compares, and what a surgery center nearby is paid.
Medicare prices at Palomar Health Downtown Campus
| Operation | Inpatient avg total payment Medicare + patient share | List price | List ÷ total | Outpatient Medicare allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip or knee replacement | $16,513 | $108,981 | 6.6× | $9,770 |
| Shoulder replacement | — | — | — | — |
| Hip replacement after a fracture (DRG 522) | $16,292 | $138,521 | 8.5× | — |
Commercial negotiated rates (beta)
| MS-DRG 470 | Median across insurers | × Medicare total payment | Lowest–highest insurer | Insurers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip or knee replacement | $31,798 | 1.9× | $26,830–$38,297 | 3 |
| Insurer | Median negotiated, MS-DRG 470 | × Medicare total payment | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Net | $38,297 | 2.3× | 1 |
| Scripps | $31,798 | 1.9× | 1 |
| Prospect | $26,830 | 1.6× | 1 |
From the hospital's price-transparency file (2026-04-01); commercial plans, dollar-amount contracts only.
From the hospital's price-transparency file (2026-04-01); commercial plans, dollar-amount contracts only.
Quality
Complications after hip or knee replacement: 3.9% (no different from the national rate). Readmissions: 5.4%. Overall Care Compare rating: 3 of 5 stars. Government · Acute · 679 beds
California has no certificate-of-need law.
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Questions
How much does Medicare pay Palomar Health Downtown Campus for a knee or hip replacement?
In 2024 the average total payment to Palomar Health Downtown Campus for an inpatient hip or knee replacement stay was $16,513 (MS-DRG 470, 12 Medicare stays; Medicare's payment plus the patient's deductible and coinsurance), and the Medicare allowed amount averaged $9,770 per outpatient case (APC 5115, 222 cases).
What is Palomar Health Downtown Campus's list price for a joint replacement?
The hospital's average list (chargemaster) price for an inpatient hip or knee replacement was $108,981, 6.6× the average total payment for a Medicare stay. Almost nobody pays the list price; it matters for uninsured bills and percent-of-charge contracts.
Is a knee replacement cheaper at a surgery center near Palomar Health Downtown Campus?
Yes for Medicare facility payments. Advanced Surgery Center of North County, an orthopedic surgery center same ZIP away, is paid about $10,395 by Medicare for a knee replacement (CPT 27447), $6,118 less than an inpatient stay at Palomar Health Downtown Campus. Not every patient is a surgery-center candidate.
How does Palomar Health Downtown Campus compare with other California hospitals?
Palomar Health Downtown Campus's average total payment per Medicare stay is lower than 97% of the 119 California hospitals that report inpatient hip or knee replacement.
What do commercial insurers pay Palomar Health Downtown Campus for a hip or knee replacement?
From the hospital's own price-transparency file, commercial plans' negotiated rates for MS-DRG 470 have a median of $31,798 across 3 insurers, ranging from $26,830 to $38,297.