Bunionectomy cash prices on one national surgery marketplace range from $4,408 to $17,221, and 2026 Medicare facility payments for common bunion procedures run from $1,644.87 to $13,116.76. The surgical setting accounts for much of that spread, while the procedure a surgeon chooses adds another layer of cost.
Our research team compared 2026 federal payment files with published pricing studies to build a cost benchmark for each common bunion procedure. The sections below start with a national price snapshot, then narrow to the specific cost questions patients ask before scheduling surgery.
Key Takeaways
- Cash price range: A national surgery marketplace lists bunion correction cash prices from $5,842 to $17,221, with an average price of $11,627.
- Lapidus fusion premium: Medicare’s 2026 ambulatory surgery center (ASC) payment for a Lapidus fusion reaches $10,002.69, about six times the $1,644.87 rate for a distal metatarsal osteotomy.
- Setting savings: Medicare pays an ASC 23.7% to 50.8% less than a hospital outpatient department (HOPD) for the same bunion procedure in 2026.
- Deductible exposure: Workers with single employer coverage face an average annual deductible of $1,886, and 34% of covered workers have a plan deductible of $2,000 or more.
National Bunionectomy Cost Benchmarks, 2026
Each bunionectomy price source measures a different part of the bill, so a cash package and a facility payment can differ by thousands of dollars for the same surgery. The table below lists each benchmark next to the portion of the bill it covers.
| Benchmark | What the Price Covers | Reported Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace bunion removal | Bundled cash price | $4,408–$11,550 (average $6,885)1 |
| Marketplace bunion correction | Bundled cash price | $5,842–$17,221 (average $11,627)2 |
| Estimated national average, bunion correction | Typical price outside the marketplace | $23,6872 |
| Price survey of 141 U.S. clinics | Bundled quote with hospital fees | $18,332 (mean)3 |
| Price survey of 141 U.S. clinics | Surgeon fee quote | $2,487 (mean)3 |
| Medicare 2026, distal metatarsal osteotomy | HOPD facility payment | $3,342.874 |
| Medicare 2026, distal metatarsal osteotomy | ASC facility payment | $1,644.874 |
Key Insights:
- The marketplace average for bunion correction comes in at 49% of the $23,687 estimated national average reported by the same marketplace.
- Only 39.7% of the 141 surveyed clinics could quote a surgeon fee, and only 8.5% could quote a full bundled price with hospital fees.
Medicare Bunionectomy Payments by Procedure Type, 2026
Medicare publishes a national payment for each bunion Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code, giving patients a neutral starting point when comparing procedure costs. Our analysis below lists the 2026 surgeon fee alongside facility payments for six common bunion procedures.
| Procedure (CPT Code) | Surgeon Fee (Non-Facility Rate) | ASC Payment | HOPD Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phalanx base resection (28292) | $703.095 | $1,644.875 | $3,342.875 |
| Proximal metatarsal osteotomy (28295) | $1,065.156 | $1,644.876 | $3,342.876 |
| Distal metatarsal osteotomy (28296) | $883.454 | $1,644.874 | $3,342.874 |
| Akin phalanx osteotomy (28298) | $860.417 | $4,682.297 | $7,413.387 |
| Double osteotomy (28299) | $1,036.438 | $4,751.048 | $7,413.388 |
| Lapidus fusion (28297) | $1,030.759 | $10,002.699 | $13,116.769 |
Key Insights:
- Lapidus fusion earns the highest payments in the table, and Medicare labels its ASC rate device-intensive because implants make up a large share of the procedure cost.
- One Lapidus implant maker reported $6,311 in average revenue per procedure kit during the third quarter of 2023.10
ASC vs. Hospital Outpatient Bunionectomy Savings, 2026
Medicare pays an ambulatory surgery center less than a hospital outpatient department for every bunion procedure we reviewed. In our analysis below, each row shows how much an ASC saves per case on the same procedure.
| Procedure (CPT Code) | ASC Savings per Case | ASC Savings (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Phalanx base resection (28292) | $1,698.005 | 50.8%5 |
| Proximal metatarsal osteotomy (28295) | $1,698.006 | 50.8%6 |
| Distal metatarsal osteotomy (28296) | $1,698.004 | 50.8%4 |
| Akin phalanx osteotomy (28298) | $2,731.097 | 36.8%7 |
| Double osteotomy (28299) | $2,662.348 | 35.9%8 |
| Lapidus fusion (28297) | $3,114.079 | 23.7%9 |
Our calculation: HOPD payment minus ASC payment, using 2026 national Medicare rates.
Key Insights:
- An ASC cuts the Medicare facility payment in half for three of the six procedures, including the distal metatarsal osteotomy.
- Lapidus fusion shows the smallest percentage savings at 23.7%, yet an ASC still costs $3,114.07 less per case than a hospital outpatient department.
Bunion Surgeon Fee Benchmarks by Payer
The surgeon fee appears as its own line on most bunionectomy bills, and the amount varies by payer. The table below compares surgeon fee benchmarks from public payers with the fees private clinics quote to self-pay patients.
| Payer or Source | Data Year | Procedure | Surgeon Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare facility rate, mean across localities | 2023 | Bunionectomy | $507 ($473–$668)11 |
| Medicaid national mean | 2025 study | Bunionectomy | $65911 |
| Medicare non-facility rate | 2026 | CPT 28296 | $883.454 |
| Private clinic quotes, mean | 2014 study | Bunion surgery | $2,4873 |
Key Insights:
- Medicaid paid more than Medicare in 31 states when averaged across common foot and ankle procedures, and its bunionectomy mean of $659 tops Medicare by $152.11
- Medicare’s inflation-adjusted payment for bunion correction dropped 44.2% between 2006 and 2024.12
Out-of-Pocket Bunionectomy Costs for Insured Patients
Insurance lowers the cost of surgery, though most insured patients still pay a deductible before coverage begins. Our data shows how much an insured patient may owe on a bunionectomy bill at each benchmark.
| Coverage Benchmark | Amount |
|---|---|
| Average annual deductible, single employer coverage (2025) | $1,88613 |
| Covered workers with a deductible of $2,000 or more (2025) | 34%13 |
| Medicare Part B annual deductible (2026) | $28314 |
| Medicare Part B coinsurance after the deductible | 20%15 |
| Estimated Medicare coinsurance, CPT 28296 at an ASC* | $328.97 |
| Estimated Medicare coinsurance, CPT 28296 at an HOPD* | $668.57 |
| Estimated Medicare coinsurance, CPT 28297 at an ASC* | $2,000.54 |
*Our calculation: 20% of the 2026 national facility payment. Surgeon fees add to the patient total.
Key Insights:
- The average employer deductible of $1,886 exceeds the full 2026 Medicare ASC payment for a distal metatarsal osteotomy.
- A Medicare patient who chooses an ASC for CPT 28296 pays an estimated $339.60 less in facility coinsurance than at a hospital outpatient department.
How Procedure Choice Shapes Your Bunionectomy Cost
Bunionectomy costs climb with the scope of the procedure, so the treatment a patient needs shapes the final bill. Dr. Josef Geldwert, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon, evaluates the whole foot before he recommends surgery and starts with conservative care when the bunion allows it.
For appropriate candidates, his HyperFlex soft tissue correction realigns the joint without cutting bone, though no single procedure fits every bunion. A consultation gives each patient a specific procedure recommendation they can price against the benchmarks in this report.
Further Reading
- Bunion Surgery Cost Breakdown by Type, 2026 Report
- Average Bunion Surgery Cost by State, 2026 Report
- Bunion Surgery Cost Without Insurance, 2026 Guide
- Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery Cost Comparison, 2026 Guide
- Lapiplasty Bunion Surgery Cost, 2026 Guide
Request a Copy of This Report
Request a PDF copy of this report to compare these cost benchmarks at home, and bring your coverage questions to your first visit at Geldwert Bunion Center in Rye Brook or Midtown Manhattan.
Request a PDF copy of this report to compare these cost benchmarks at home, and bring your coverage questions to your first visit at Geldwert Bunion Center in Rye Brook or Midtown Manhattan.
Sources
- MDsave, Bunion Removal Cost
- MDsave, Bunion Correction Cost
- Willey JC, et al. Availability of Consumer Prices for Bunion Surgery. Foot & Ankle International, 2014
- Mira Health, CPT 28296 Medicare Reference (CMS 2026 Data)
- Mira Health, CPT 28292 Medicare Reference (CMS 2026 Data)
- Mira Health, CPT 28295 Medicare Reference (CMS 2026 Data)
- Mira Health, CPT 28298 Medicare Reference (CMS 2026 Data)
- Mira Health, CPT 28299 Medicare Reference (CMS 2026 Data)
- Mira Health, CPT 28297 Medicare Reference (CMS 2026 Data)
- Treace Medical Concepts, Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results
- Henderson AP, et al. Medicaid Reimbursement for Common Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Procedures Is Highly Inconsistent Among States. Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics, 2025
- Hoveidaei AH, et al. Medicare Reimbursement Trends for Common Foot and Ankle Surgeries, 2006 to 2024. AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting
- KFF, 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
- Medicare.gov, Medicare Costs