Across five common cardiology procedures, ASCs consistently post lower total costs than hospital outpatient departments — in some cases by more than $6,000 per case — driven largely by lower facility fees.
However, the patient’s share of the bill doesn’t always follow the same pattern. While ASCs generally mean lower out-of-pocket costs for procedures like PCI, pacemaker implants and coronary angiography, HOPDs carry lower copays for higher-acuity procedures such as atrial fibrillation ablations and ICD implants.
Here’s what five cardiology procedures cost at ASCs and hospital outpatient departments, using data from CMS’ procedure price lookup tool:
1. Percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting (CPT code 92928)
ASCs:
- Patient pays: $1,553
- Total cost: $7,771
- Physician fee: $463
- Facility fee: $7,308
- Medicare pays: $6,217
HOPDs:
- Patient pays: $1,828
- Total cost: $12,257
- Physician fee: $463
- Facility fee: $11,794
- Medicare pays: $10,429
2. Comprehensive EP evaluation and ablation for atrial fibrillation (CPT code 93656)
ASCs:
- Patient pays: $4,212
- Total cost: $21,061
- Physician fee: $806
- Facility fee: $20,255
- Medicare Pays: $16,849
HOPD:
- Patient pays: $1,897
- Total cost: $27,509
- Physician fee: $806
- Facility fee: $26,703
- Medicare pays: $25,612
3. Insertion of new or replacement of permanent pacemaker with transvenous electrode (CPT code 33206)
ASCs:
- Patient pays: $1,536
- Total cost: $7,686
- Physician fee: $402
- Facility fee: $7,284
- Medicare pays: $6,148
HOPD:
- Patient pays: $1,816
- Total cost: $11,080
Physician fee: $402
Facility fee: $10,678
Medicare pays: $9,263
4. Catheter placement in coronary artery for coronary angiography.(CPT code 93454)
ASC:
- Patient pays: $516
- Total cost: $2,584
- Physician fee: $877
- Facility fee: $1,707
- Medicare pays: $2,068
HOPD:
- Patient pays: $1,038
- Total cost: $4,189
- Physician fee: $877
- Facility fee: $3,312
- Medicare pays: $3,150
5. Insertion or replacement of permanent implantable defibrillator system (CPT code 33249)
ASC:
- Patient pays: $5,114
- Total cost: $25,572
- Physician fee: $797
- Facility fee: $24,775
- Medicare pays: $20,458
HOPD:
- Patient pays: $1,895
- Total cost: $32,865
- Physician fee: $797
- Facility fee: $32,068
- Medicare pays: $30,970
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