A hysterectomy in the United States typically costs between $5,750 and $23,000, depending on the type of procedure, the surgical approach, and where you live. The average for a simple hysterectomy (removing the uterus and cervix) is around $11,000, while a radical hysterectomy that also removes surrounding tissue runs closer to $12,500. If you have insurance, your share of that bill is significantly smaller, but the total sticker price matters because it determines what you’ll owe before meeting your deductible.
Cost by Type of Surgery
Not all hysterectomies are the same procedure, and the approach your surgeon uses is one of the biggest factors in the final bill. There are four main methods: open abdominal (a larger incision), laparoscopic (small incisions with a camera), robotic-assisted (similar to laparoscopic but guided by a robotic system), and vaginal (no external incision at all).
Laparoscopic hysterectomy is generally the least expensive, averaging around $10,100 in total costs. Robotic-assisted surgery runs higher at roughly $11,500, largely because of the specialized disposable equipment the robot requires, which alone adds about $2,400 per case. Open abdominal hysterectomy falls around $12,800 when you factor in the longer hospital stay it requires, typically three or more days compared to one or two for minimally invasive approaches. However, if the hospital stay after open surgery is short (under three days), the hospital’s direct costs can actually be lower than robotic surgery.
The reason minimally invasive options often come out cheaper overall, despite higher equipment costs, is recovery time. You return to work and normal life faster, which reduces the broader economic impact. For an open procedure, expect four to six weeks of recovery. Laparoscopic and robotic approaches typically cut that in half.
What You’ll Pay With Insurance
If you have employer-sponsored or marketplace insurance, your out-of-pocket cost for a hysterectomy is far less than the total billed amount. Data from commercially insured women shows the average patient cost share (the combination of your deductible, copays, and coinsurance) was about $790 as of 2013, and that figure has risen modestly since. Today, you can reasonably expect to pay somewhere between $800 and $2,500 out of pocket, depending on your specific plan.
Your actual number depends on a few things: whether you’ve already met part of your annual deductible, your plan’s coinsurance rate for surgery (commonly 10% to 30% after the deductible), and whether your surgeon and hospital are both in-network. An out-of-network surgeon at an in-network hospital, or vice versa, can dramatically increase your share. Before scheduling, call your insurer and ask for a pre-authorization and a cost estimate that accounts for your deductible status.
One detail that catches people off guard: the surgeon’s fee and the hospital’s facility fee are billed separately. Your insurance may cover them at different rates, and you could receive multiple bills from the anesthesiologist, pathology lab, and hospital on top of the surgeon’s charge.
The Full Price Without Insurance
Without insurance, you’re looking at the complete facility and surgeon costs. National estimates for an abdominal hysterectomy range from roughly $13,800 on the low end to nearly $24,000 on the high end. That typically includes the surgery itself, anesthesia, the operating room, and your hospital stay, but not always the pre-operative workup or post-operative follow-up visits.
Before surgery, you’ll need at least one specialist evaluation (averaging $270 to $430 nationally) and likely imaging such as a pelvic ultrasound. Blood work and an EKG are standard pre-surgical requirements. After surgery, plan for one or two follow-up visits and a short course of pain medication. These add a few hundred dollars to the total but are minor compared to the procedure itself.
If you’re paying out of pocket, ask the hospital’s billing department about their self-pay or cash-pay discount. Many hospitals reduce the bill by 20% to 50% for uninsured patients who ask upfront. You won’t get this automatically; you need to request it before the procedure.
Why Location Changes the Price
Geography is one of the most dramatic cost variables. The Pacific region (California, Oregon, Washington) has the highest median hysterectomy cost at about $22,500, while the mid-Atlantic region (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) has the lowest at around $9,700. That’s more than a twofold difference for the same surgery. Patients in the Pacific region face over ten times the odds of a higher-cost procedure compared to mid-Atlantic patients.
This variation reflects differences in hospital pricing, cost of living, and local market dynamics rather than differences in surgical quality. If you live near a state border or are willing to travel, comparing prices at facilities in neighboring regions can save thousands. Many hospitals now publish price transparency tools online, and sites run by state health departments can help you compare.
Ways to Lower the Cost
Several strategies can meaningfully reduce what you pay. If you have insurance, the single most impactful step is confirming that every provider involved in your surgery is in-network, including the anesthesiologist and any consulting physicians. Request this in writing before your procedure date.
For uninsured or underinsured patients, hospital charity care programs are worth exploring. Most hospitals are required to offer financial assistance to patients who meet income thresholds, and many extend partial discounts well above the poverty line. You apply through the hospital’s financial services department, ideally before your surgery date. If you’ve already received a bill you can’t pay, you can still apply retroactively.
Debt management plans through nonprofit credit counseling organizations are another option. These create a structured payment schedule and can sometimes negotiate lower interest or waived fees on medical debt. Medicaid covers hysterectomies for eligible patients, and eligibility thresholds vary by state, so it’s worth checking even if you assume you won’t qualify.
If your surgeon recommends a robotic approach, ask whether a standard laparoscopic procedure is an option for your case. When both are medically appropriate, choosing laparoscopic over robotic can save $1,000 to $2,000 in equipment costs alone, savings that matter most for self-pay patients or those with high-deductible plans.