US Health Care Costs

Vein ablation (varicose veins)

CPT 36475 · Surgery · hospital facility charge

At the 156 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $5,509, and most charge between $2,294 and $12,385 (the middle 80%; price files contain errors, so the extremes are left out). Pick a state to compare its hospitals.

Estimate what you would pay

$5,509typical cash price
$6,409typical commercial insurer rate
$8,995typical list price
156hospitals in 33 states so far
Typical cash price by state

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$5,744$5,744$5,744$3,988
Arizona1$32,321$32,321$32,321$4,784
California12$8,362$2,216$8,458$11,001
Colorado1–––$5,693
Delaware1–––$14,663
Florida16$6,100$5,638$6,100$6,959
Georgia7$2,294$1,768$8,498$5,900
Iowa1–––$8,046
Idaho2$7,280$7,280$7,280$8,736
Illinois9$4,588$2,097$15,897$6,347
Indiana2–––$9,489
Kansas3–––$3,271
Kentucky2$12,638$12,638$12,638$6,155
Massachusetts1$1,699$1,699$1,699$1,663
Michigan3$4,342$4,342$10,291$643
Missouri5$6,298$3,713$13,822$3,038
Mississippi1–––$6,984
North Carolina5$3,633$1,603$3,633$3,625
Nebraska1$4,219$4,219$4,219$6,409
New Jersey10$3,597$2,940$6,839$7,141
Nevada1–––$2,739
New York3$11,249$11,249$11,249$6,254
Ohio10$10,467$2,572$12,336$9,176
Oklahoma2$7,771$6,566$8,977$6,985
Pennsylvania10$4,798$3,563$20,209$4,609
South Carolina5$6,704$6,704$6,704$7,799
South Dakota1$7,270$7,270$7,270$5,011
Tennessee3$2,210$2,210$2,210$3,990
Texas25$10,022$630$19,862$5,894
Utah2–––$3,052
Virginia7$4,036$4,036$4,036$10,772
Washington2$9,013$9,013$9,013$9,325
Wisconsin1$5,380$5,380$5,380$9,103
156 hospitals so far: only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed, and more are added every night. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does vein ablation (varicose veins) cost at a hospital?

At 76 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for vein ablation (varicose veins) is $5,509, and most charge between $2,294 and $12,385. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $6,409. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for vein ablation (varicose veins)?

At 39 of the 72 hospitals that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.

Does the price include the doctor?

No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.

Before you go