Price AtlasInteractive atlas · All states · techysurgeon.comMusc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown: what a joint replacement costs
Columbia, SC 29204 · CMS Certification Number 420026. 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 Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown
| Operation | Inpatient avg total payment Medicare + patient share | List price | List ÷ total | Outpatient Medicare allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip or knee replacement | $12,651 | $125,599 | 9.9× | $11,506 |
| Shoulder replacement | — | — | — | $16,536 |
Commercial negotiated rates (beta)
| MS-DRG 470 | Median across insurers | × Medicare total payment | Lowest–highest insurer | Insurers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip or knee replacement | $34,524 | 2.7× | $21,993–$39,318 | 4 |
| Insurer | Median negotiated, MS-DRG 470 | × Medicare total payment | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | $39,318 | 3.1× | 1 |
| Cigna | $36,185 | 2.9× | 1 |
| Aetna | $32,864 | 2.6× | 1 |
| BCBS South Carolina | $21,993 | 1.7× | 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: 3.8% (no different from the national rate). Readmissions: 5.6%. Overall Care Compare rating: 3 of 5 stars. Nonprofit · Acute · 258 beds
South Carolina has a certificate-of-need program that does not cover surgery centers.
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Questions
How much does Medicare pay Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown for a knee or hip replacement?
In 2024 the average total payment to Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown for an inpatient hip or knee replacement stay was $12,651 (MS-DRG 470, 33 Medicare stays; Medicare's payment plus the patient's deductible and coinsurance), and the Medicare allowed amount averaged $11,506 per outpatient case (APC 5115, 276 cases).
What is Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown's list price for a joint replacement?
The hospital's average list (chargemaster) price for an inpatient hip or knee replacement was $125,599, 9.9× 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 Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown?
Yes for Medicare facility payments. Columbia Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Center, an orthopedic surgery center same ZIP away, is paid about $8,399 by Medicare for a knee replacement (CPT 27447), $4,252 less than an inpatient stay at Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown. Not every patient is a surgery-center candidate.
How does Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown compare with other South Carolina hospitals?
Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown's average total payment per Medicare stay is lower than 79% of the 19 South Carolina hospitals that report inpatient hip or knee replacement.
What do commercial insurers pay Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown 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 $34,524 across 4 insurers, ranging from $21,993 to $39,318.