2026 Forecast Verified

Open Heart Surgery Cost in Georgia (2026)

In line with national pricing · Regional price parity: 98.0 · GA

Georgia Average
$147,000
Near national average
Typical Range
$78,400 – $245,000
National avg: $150,000
Editorial view of Georgia
Regional Pricing Confidence
89% Confidence Index
The Georgia Market

What Drives Pricing Here

Three factors explain most of why open heart surgery costs what it does in Georgia.

Regional Price Parity

Georgia's cost-of-living index sits at 98.0 — near the national benchmark (100). This directly scales facility and staffing overhead, which flow through to every procedure price.

Specialist Availability

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

Vs. National Benchmark

Georgia tracks within 2.0% of the national average ($150,000) — a typical mid-market pricing environment with wide provider variance.

State Context

Open Heart Surgery in Georgia: What to Know

Georgia offers top-tier open heart surgery options. Piedmont Heart Institute at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital is recognized as the state's best for cardiology and heart surgery. Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta achieved the highest three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons across multiple categories, including CABG and AVR. Emory Heart & Vascular is a global leader in robotic mitral valve surgeries, completing over 4,000 procedures, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta performs the most pediatric heart surgeries in Georgia.

While open heart surgery requires a hospital stay, Georgia’s average cost is slightly below the national average. Non-emergency medical transportation services are widely available to help you access care. For less complex outpatient procedures, Ambulatory Surgery Centers in Georgia, though not for open heart surgery, offer a more cost-effective alternative for other cardiac-related care. Verify current pricing directly with providers.

Itemized Breakdown

Estimated Cost Breakdown in Georgia

Pricing for open heart surgery in Georgia is roughly in line with the rest of the country. Here's the breakdown.

Hospital Stay

Per-night inpatient cost

$36,015 - $66,885

Most significant cost

Surgeon Fee

Expertise and experience level

$20,580 - $38,220

Implants & Supplies

$15,434 - $28,665

Operating Room

OR and equipment time

$15,434 - $28,665

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist or CRNA fee

$8,232 - $15,288

Post-Op Care

Recovery and aftercare

$7,203 - $13,377

Total Estimated Cost

Georgia all-in range

$78,400 – $245,000

Financing Options

Many Georgia clinics partner with CareCredit or Alphaeon. A typical 24-month, 0% APR term on $147,000 looks like:

$6,125/mo
Est. 24 months · 0% APR promo
  • Soft credit check — no hard pull
  • Instant approval decisions
  • HSA/FSA eligible for qualifying cases

Prices reflect regional cost-of-living adjustments. How we calculate these numbers →

Ranges adjusted for Georgia's regional price parity (98.0). See the national percentage breakdown →

Hospital-Level Data

Facility Costs in Georgia

Below are the top facilities performing open heart surgery in Georgia, ranked by volume. Rates shown are negotiated amounts from CMS Medicare data.

Facility City Negotiated Rate Medicare Volume
Saint Joseph's Hospital Of Atlanta, Inc Atlanta $64,376 $59,573 42
Emory University Hospital Atlanta $100,656 $75,129 33
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Marietta $68,363 $65,934 33
Piedmont Hospital Atlanta $77,084 $58,789 30
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center Marietta $108,951 $104,937 23
Emory University Hospital Midtown Atlanta $93,487 $81,409 21
Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Inc Gainesville $80,484 $64,278 16
Northside Hospital Gwinnett Lawrenceville $57,939 $55,783 15
Saint Joseph's Hospital Of Atlanta, Inc Atlanta $87,213 $55,467 12
Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center Macon $47,868 $45,698 12
Regional Comparison

Open Heart Surgery Cost in Nearby States

Open Heart Surgery pricing varies across the region. Here's how Georgia stacks up against its neighbors.

Common Questions

Expert Answers for Georgia Patients

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

Compare Georgia with any other state

See national pricing, all 50 state comparisons, and detailed cost factors in the main open heart surgery cost guide.

View full open heart surgery guide
What is the average price of open heart surgery in Georgia?
Georgia patients pay an average of $147,000 for open heart surgery. Quotes from individual providers generally fall between $78,400 and $245,000, with facility fees and surgeon experience accounting for most of the variation.
Does insurance cover open heart surgery?
Insurance typically picks up most of the tab for open heart surgery when it's medically indicated. In Georgia, confirm your surgeon is in-network and get pre-authorization before scheduling to avoid surprise bills.
What's the recovery time for open heart surgery?
The recovery timeline for open heart surgery is 42 to 120 days. Here's the general pattern: days 1-42 involve significant rest, days 42-120 are a gradual return to activity. Georgia patients should also budget for post-op care costs — follow-up visits, pain management, and any required imaging or lab work.
What payment options exist for open heart surgery in Georgia?
You have several options to cover the $147,000 average in Georgia. 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 choose a open heart surgery facility in Georgia?
Focus on three things: the facility's open heart surgery case volume, its accreditation status, and the out-of-pocket cost at your insurance tier. Georgia has both hospital and outpatient options — outpatient centers typically offer significant savings.
Should I consider open heart surgery outside Georgia?
Alabama runs $11,250 cheaper for open heart surgery than Georgia. For patients near the state line, that 8% difference can justify the trip. Ask your Georgia surgeon if they coordinate with out-of-state providers for post-op monitoring.
Is open heart surgery covered under Georgia's Medicaid program?
Medicaid coverage for open heart surgery in Georgia depends on medical necessity. If your doctor documents that open heart surgery is required for your health, Georgia Medicaid may cover part or all of the cost. Pre-authorization is typically required. Contact Georgia's Medicaid office or your managed care plan for specific coverage details.
Data Sources & References

How we calculate open heart surgery costs in Georgia

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 Georgia'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 Open Heart Surgery Cost in Every State