Fusion Of Upper Spine Bone With Removal Of Disc And Release Of Spinal Cord Or Nerve, 1 Disc in North Carolina

North Carolina Pricing in Context

In North Carolina, CPT code 22551 (Fusion Of Upper Spine Bone With Removal Of Disc And Release Of Spinal Cord Or Nerve, 1 Disc) carries an average Medicare payment of $999.69 — 5% below the national benchmark of $1,056.83. 367 providers across the state submitted claims for this procedure in 2023, performing 2.2K total services. Individual payments in NC ranged from N/A at the low end to N/A at the high end, reflecting differences in provider setting (office vs. facility), modifiers, and the specific geographic locality code applied within the state.

The average billed charge in North Carolina is $6,168.19, which is the figure uninsured patients would most likely encounter before any negotiation or charity discount. Medicare, by statute, only reimburses the allowed amount — the balance between billed and paid is written off under provider participation agreements. Insured patients generally pay a negotiated rate that falls between these two figures; the exact amount depends on plan design, deductible status, and in-network participation. Because North Carolina sits below the national Medicare average, commercial rates in the state may also run lower than the US median.

Using RAND 2024 commercial-to-Medicare ratios for Musculoskeletal Surgery procedures, the estimated commercial insurance price in North Carolina lands near $2,735.32, with self-pay cash prices typically around $2,637.30. Before scheduling, patients can request a Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act, compare cash rates from hospital Machine-Readable Files, and confirm whether the provider is in-network with their specific plan. This page presents CMS reference data for informational use; it does not constitute medical or financial advice.