2026 Forecast Verified

Open Heart Surgery Cost in Nebraska (2026)

Slightly below the national average · RPP 96.5 · NE

Nebraska Average
$144,750
▼ -3.5% below national
Typical Range
$77,200 – $241,250
National avg: $150,000
Editorial view of Nebraska
Regional Pricing Confidence
88% Confidence Index
The Nebraska Market

What Drives Pricing Here

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

Regional Price Parity

Nebraska's cost-of-living index sits at 96.5 — meaningfully below the national benchmark (100). This directly scales facility and staffing overhead, which flow through to every procedure price.

Specialist Availability

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

Vs. National Benchmark

At -3.5% below the national average ($150,000), Nebraska is a discount market. Often driven by lower overhead or less metro concentration — quality can still be excellent.

State Context

Open Heart Surgery in Nebraska: What to Know

Nebraska offers robust options for open heart surgery. CHI Health Nebraska Heart in Lincoln performs over 1,500 open-heart procedures annually and is recognized as a "50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital." For complex cases, Nebraska Medicine in Omaha is the region's only provider of a total artificial heart program and heart/lung transplants, significantly increasing its open heart surgery volume to 660 cases by 2015. Great Plains Health Heart Institute in North Platte partners with Bryan Heart, allowing local pre-surgery care before transfer to Lincoln.

Given Nebraska's slightly lower-than-average costs, exploring options within the state is advisable. For instance, facilities outside Omaha or Lincoln, if appropriate for your procedure, might offer further cost savings. Verify current pricing directly with providers.

Itemized Breakdown

Estimated Cost Breakdown in Nebraska

Open Heart Surgery pricing in Nebraska comes in modestly under the US average. This is the typical expense structure.

Hospital Stay

Per-night inpatient cost

$35,464 - $65,861

Most significant cost

Surgeon Fee

Expertise and experience level

$20,265 - $37,635

Implants & Supplies

$15,198 - $28,226

Operating Room

OR and equipment time

$15,198 - $28,226

Anesthesia

Anesthesiologist or CRNA fee

$8,106 - $15,054

Post-Op Care

Recovery and aftercare

$7,093 - $13,172

Total Estimated Cost

Nebraska all-in range

$77,200 – $241,250

Financing Options

Many Nebraska clinics partner with CareCredit or Alphaeon. A typical 24-month, 0% APR term on $144,750 looks like:

$6,031/mo
Est. 24 months · 0% APR promo
  • Soft credit check — no hard pull
  • Instant approval decisions
  • HSA/FSA eligible for qualifying cases

Based on CMS Medicare data and regional price parities. Learn about our methodology →

Ranges adjusted for Nebraska's regional price parity (96.5). See the national percentage breakdown →

Hospital-Level Data

Facility Costs in Nebraska

These Nebraska facilities handle the most open heart surgery cases. The negotiated rate reflects what's actually paid after insurer discounts.

Facility City Negotiated Rate Medicare Volume
Bryan Medical Center Lincoln $58,951 $52,202 42
The Nebraska Medical Center Omaha $76,215 $63,771 36
Chi Health Nebraska Heart Lincoln $51,958 $45,033 27
Methodist Hospital Omaha $57,000 $55,329 24
The Nebraska Medical Center Omaha $96,717 $87,127 16
Regional Comparison

Open Heart Surgery Cost in Nearby States

Neighboring states offer a range of open heart surgery pricing. Nebraska falls in the middle of the pack.

Common Questions

Expert Answers for Nebraska Patients

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

Compare Nebraska 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 Nebraska?
Expect to budget around $144,750 for open heart surgery in Nebraska. The typical range spans $77,200 to $241,250 — where you land depends on your provider, whether you choose a hospital or outpatient center, and the specifics of your case.
Does insurance cover open heart surgery?
Insurance typically picks up most of the tab for open heart surgery when it's medically indicated. In Nebraska, confirm your surgeon is in-network and get pre-authorization before scheduling to avoid surprise bills.
When can I return to work after open heart surgery?
Full recovery from open heart surgery runs 42 to 120 days on average. Desk workers can often return sooner, while physically demanding jobs require the full recovery window. In Nebraska, medications and follow-up appointments typically run $4,342 to $11,580 beyond the base procedure cost.
How can I finance open heart surgery in Nebraska?
Many Nebraska providers offer financing through medical credit companies like CareCredit or Prosper Healthcare Lending. You can also use HSA/FSA funds, negotiate a cash-pay discount (often 10-20% off), or ask about in-house payment plans that split the $144,750 cost into monthly installments.
How do I compare open heart surgery facilities in Nebraska?
Start with case volume — facilities that perform more procedures generally have better outcomes. In Nebraska, also compare hospital vs. ambulatory surgery center pricing (ASCs can be 30-50% cheaper) and check whether your insurance network includes the facility.
Can I save by getting open heart surgery in a neighboring state?
Missouri runs $7,050 cheaper for open heart surgery than Nebraska. For patients near the state line, that 5% difference can justify the trip. Ask your Nebraska surgeon if they coordinate with out-of-state providers for post-op monitoring.
Can Medicaid help pay for open heart surgery in Nebraska?
Medicaid in Nebraska can cover open heart surgery 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 open heart surgery costs in Nebraska

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 Nebraska'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