Appendix removal, laparoscopic in Iowa
Below is what hospitals in Iowa charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 26 hospitals in Iowa run from $701 to $9,188. The typical hospital charges $1,473. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,473
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
27 hospitals. Sort by: Cash price ▲ · Negotiated median · Gross charge · Negotiated low
What these numbers mean.
Cash price is what the hospital lists for patients paying out of pocket.
Negotiated median is the middle of what insurance companies actually agreed to pay.
Gross charge is the sticker price — almost nobody pays it.
What you will actually pay is usually different from both numbers:
with insurance, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance decides what you owe —
the negotiated rate is what the insurer pays, not your bill.
A single line item may not be the whole cost: physician, anesthesia, pathology,
and facility fees can be billed separately.
Prices vary by hospital and change over time; always confirm with the hospital before you go.
| Hospital | Cash price | Where it sits | Insurance pays (typical) | Gross charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond IA · Price file April 22, 2026 | $701Insurance typically pays $848Sticker price $1,168 | Lowest price of any hospital | $848 | $1,168 |
| Cass County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 1, 2026 | $975Insurance typically pays $565Sticker price $1,393 | Cheaper than 96% of hospitals | $565 | $1,393 |
| Jefferson County Health Center IA · Price file August 20, 2026 | $992Insurance typically pays $514Sticker price $1,654 | Cheaper than 92% of hospitals | $514 | $1,654 |
| Boone County Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $1,009Insurance typically pays $668Sticker price $1,261 | Cheaper than 88% of hospitals | $668 | $1,261 |
| Crawford County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $1,066Insurance typically pays $1,213Sticker price $1,332 | Cheaper than 84% of hospitals | $1,213 | $1,332 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion IA · Price file June 11, 2026 | $1,135Insurance typically pays $1,153Sticker price $1,891 | Cheaper than 80% of hospitals | $1,153 | $1,891 |
| Orange City Area Health System IA · Price file September 23, 2026 | $1,409Insurance typically pays $1,131Sticker price $1,761 | Cheaper than 76% of hospitals | $1,131 | $1,761 |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital IA | $1,410Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,763 | Cheaper than 72% of hospitals | — | $1,763 |
| Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Finley Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Trinity Muscatine IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Jones Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| St Lukes Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Allen Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $1,473Insurance typically pays $1,736Sticker price $1,841 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $1,736 | $1,841 |
| Van Diest Medical Center IA · Price file November 12, 2022 | $1,622Insurance typically pays $1,246Sticker price $2,027 | Pricier than 72% of hospitals | $1,246 | $2,027 |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home IA · Price file November 3, 2026 | $1,727Insurance typically pays $719Sticker price $1,727 | Pricier than 76% of hospitals | $719 | $1,727 |
| Manning Regional Healthcare Center IA · Price file October 16, 2026 | $1,753Insurance typically pays $2,682Sticker price $2,616 | Pricier than 80% of hospitals | $2,682 | $2,616 |
| Shenandoah Medical Center IA · Price file September 21, 2026 | $1,767Insurance typically pays $1,284Sticker price $2,719 | Pricier than 84% of hospitals | $1,284 | $2,719 |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center IA · Price file March 31, 2026 | $2,161Insurance typically pays $252Sticker price $1,742 | Pricier than 88% of hospitals | $252 | $1,742 |
| Virginia Gay Hospital IA · Price file August 13, 2026 | $2,210Insurance typically pays $987Sticker price $2,763 | Pricier than 92% of hospitals | $987 | $2,763 |
| Adair County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file September 2, 2026 | $8,569Insurance typically pays $5,172Sticker price $11,425 | Pricier than 96% of hospitals | $5,172 | $11,425 |
| Madison County Health Care System IA · Price file October 21, 2026 | $9,188Insurance typically pays $4,939Sticker price $11,485 | Highest price of any hospital | $4,939 | $11,485 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center IA · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $60,792 | — | — | $60,792 |
Procedure code 44970. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.