2026 Forecast Verified

Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) Cost in Tennessee (2026)

Slightly below the national average · RPP 94.2 · TN

Tennessee Average
$11,304
▼ -5.8% below national
Typical Range
$4,710 – $18,840
National avg: $12,000
Editorial view of Tennessee
Regional Pricing Confidence
87% Confidence Index
The Tennessee Market

What Drives Pricing Here

Three factors explain most of why gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) costs what it does in Tennessee.

Regional Price Parity

Tennessee's cost-of-living index sits at 94.2 — meaningfully below the national benchmark (100). This directly scales facility and staffing overhead, which flow through to every procedure price.

Specialist Availability

18 facilities perform this procedure in Tennessee — competition keeps pricing honest and gives you real leverage to shop quotes.

Vs. National Benchmark

At -5.8% below the national average ($12,000), Tennessee is a discount market. Often driven by lower overhead or less metro concentration — quality can still be excellent.

State Context

Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) in Tennessee: What to Know

Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) in Tennessee offers advanced, minimally invasive options. For instance, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt was the first in the state to perform single-site incision robotic cholecystectomy on pediatric patients. Adults can find similar innovation, with University Surgical Associates in Chattanooga and Surgical Alliance of Middle Tennessee offering single-site robotic procedures for virtually scarless results. Vanderbilt Health in Nashville also provides a "fast track clinic" for quick evaluation and scheduling, often within a week, for healthy patients.

To save on costs, consider surgery centers over outpatient hospitals. The average cash price for endoscopic gallbladder removal in Tennessee is significantly lower at a surgery center, offering substantial savings. Premier Surgical Surgery Center in Knoxville, for example, offers package pricing for self-pay laparoscopic procedures. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the most common method statewide, allowing for same-day surgery and quicker recovery. Verify current pricing directly with providers.

Itemized Breakdown

Estimated Cost Breakdown in Tennessee

Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) pricing in Tennessee comes in modestly under the US average. This is the typical expense structure.

Facility Fee

OR time and hospital staffing

$2,374 - $4,409

Most significant cost

Surgeon Fee

Expertise and experience level

$2,374 - $4,409

Implants & Supplies

$1,187 - $2,204

Post-Op Care

Recovery and aftercare

$1,187 - $2,204

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist or CRNA fee

$791 - $1,470

Total Estimated Cost

Tennessee all-in range

$4,710 – $18,840

Financing Options

Many Tennessee clinics partner with CareCredit or Alphaeon. A typical 24-month, 0% APR term on $11,304 looks like:

$471/mo
Est. 24 months · 0% APR promo
  • Soft credit check — no hard pull
  • Instant approval decisions
  • HSA/FSA eligible for qualifying cases

Cost estimates are adjusted for regional pricing. See how we calculate state-level costs →

Ranges adjusted for Tennessee's regional price parity (94.2). See the national percentage breakdown →

Hospital-Level Data

Facility Costs in Tennessee

Here are the highest-volume gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) providers in Tennessee. All rates come from CMS Medicare claims data — actual payments, not list prices.

Facility City Negotiated Rate Medicare Volume
Memorial Healthcare System, Inc Chattanooga $11,392 $8,236 28
Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis $12,206 $9,482 26
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Nashville $13,018 $10,071 26
Methodist Hospitals Of Memphis Memphis $15,562 $9,967 20
Memorial Healthcare System, Inc Chattanooga $14,923 $13,344 18
Erlanger Medical Center Chattanooga $14,996 $10,716 18
Maury Regional Hospital Columbia $11,157 $9,877 17
Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville $19,396 $13,303 16
Jackson-Madison County General Hospital Jackson $16,911 $15,366 15
Jackson-Madison County General Hospital Jackson $13,147 $9,701 15
Regional Comparison

Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) Cost in Nearby States

Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) pricing varies across the region. Here's how Tennessee stacks up against its neighbors.

Common Questions

Expert Answers for Tennessee Patients

Local regulations, insurance nuance, and surgical standards specific to Tennessee.

Compare Tennessee with any other state

See national pricing, all 50 state comparisons, and detailed cost factors in the main gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) cost guide.

View full gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) guide
What should I expect to pay for gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) in Tennessee?
Expect to budget around $11,304 for gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) in Tennessee. The typical range spans $4,710 to $18,840 — where you land depends on your provider, whether you choose a hospital or outpatient center, and the specifics of your case.
Does insurance cover gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy)?
For medically necessary cases, gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) is usually covered. Your out-of-pocket cost in Tennessee will depend on your plan's deductible, copay structure, and whether your provider is in-network. Always get a pre-authorization before the procedure.
How long is recovery after gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy)?
Most Tennessee patients need 7 to 21 days to fully recover from gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy). Your surgeon will schedule follow-ups during this window to monitor healing. At Tennessee's cost of living (RPP 94.2), lost wages during recovery can be a significant hidden cost — budget for that alongside the procedure itself.
Are payment plans available for gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) in Tennessee?
You have several options to cover the $11,304 average in Tennessee. Third-party financing (CareCredit, Alphaeon) offers 0% intro APR periods up to 24 months. Many surgeons also accept direct payment plans or offer discounts of 10-20% for paying in full upfront.
How do I compare gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) facilities in Tennessee?
Compare facilities on volume (higher volume correlates with better outcomes), accreditation status, and the negotiated rate vs. what you'd pay out of pocket. In Tennessee, check whether an outpatient surgery center can perform your gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) — ASCs typically charge 30-50% less than hospitals for the same procedure.
Is it worth traveling to another state for gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy)?
The math works out to about $684 in savings if you cross into Mississippi for gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) ($10,620 average vs. $11,304 in Tennessee). The catch: you'll want a local doctor who can handle any post-op issues rather than driving back across state lines for complications.
Does Tennessee Medicaid cover gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy)?
Medicaid in Tennessee can cover gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) when there's a documented medical need. The key is pre-authorization — your physician will need to submit clinical justification to your managed care organization before the procedure is approved.
Data Sources & References

How we calculate gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) costs in Tennessee

Cost estimates combine procedure-specific pricing data with regional cost-of-living and provider-supply adjustments. Primary sources:

  • Hospital pricing transparency files — CMS-required machine-readable data published by hospitals under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency rule (effective January 2021). Provides actual negotiated rates between hospitals and insurers.
  • HCUP (Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project)AHRQ's HCUP databases provide nationally-representative procedure cost data by state, payer, and patient demographics.
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics — Healthcare Practitioner Occupational WagesBLS OEWS data on surgeon, anesthesiologist, and surgical staff wages by state, used to model regional labor-cost differences in procedure pricing.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP)U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis state-level price-level indices, used to adjust national procedure averages for Tennessee's cost-of-living relative to the national mean.
  • FAIR Health Consumer Cost Lookup — the FAIR Health database aggregates billed and allowed amounts from over 36 billion claim records, providing a check on procedure-cost ranges by ZIP code.
  • Medicare Provider Utilization & Payment DataCMS public-use files on Medicare-allowed amounts and submitted charges by HCPCS/CPT code and state, used as a baseline for procedure-cost ranges.

Estimates are illustrative and reflect typical pricing ranges; actual costs depend on insurance coverage, surgical complexity, anesthesia type, hospital vs. ambulatory setting, and individual patient factors. Always confirm pricing directly with providers and your insurance carrier. See our methodology page for full calculation details.

Compare Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) Cost in Every State