How much does Total Knee Replacement cost at Sanford Medical Center Bismarck?

Sanford Medical Center Bismarck lists Total Knee Replacement (CPT 27447) at $11,266.00. The Medicare rate for this procedure is $1,159.35, making this a 9.7x markup. The national average charge for this procedure is approximately $20,658.

Does Sanford Medical Center Bismarck offer financial assistance?

Sanford Medical Center Bismarck is a nonprofit hospital and is required under IRS Section 501(r) to maintain a written financial assistance policy. Contact their billing department to request the Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) application. Eligibility typically covers patients up to 200–400% of the Federal Poverty Level, though thresholds vary by hospital.

Sanford Medical Center Bismarck billing

Q: What is Sanford Medical Center Bismarck's billing grade?

BillKarma gives Sanford Medical Center Bismarck a billing grade of F. This grade is based on an average markup of 12.4x Medicare rates across 18 procedures in their CMS-published price transparency file. This is above the national average of approximately 3.4x Medicare.

300 N 7th St, Bismarck, North Dakota 58506

Voluntary non-profit - Private
Acute Care Hospitals
CMS rating 4 of 5

1. Call billing

Have your account number ready. Ask for an itemized bill and ask whether you can apply for financial assistance.

Main hospital line

(701) 323-6000

Ask for patient billing or patient financial services.

Call (701) 323-6000

2. See if you qualify for free or discounted care

As a nonprofit hospital, Sanford Medical Center Bismarck must have a written financial assistance policy under IRS rule 501(r). You can usually apply up to 240 days after your first bill, even if it went to collections.

Start an application cover letter

3. Send it in writing

A written request creates a record. Fill in your details, then print, email or mail it to Sanford Medical Center Bismarck billing.

Request an itemized bill
Every charge, with its billing code. Start here.
Get letter
Apply for financial assistance
Cover letter for the hospital's application, with a request to pause collections.
Create letter
Dispute a charge
For duplicate lines, services you didn't get, or prices you want explained.
Start dispute

Have your itemized bill?

Upload a photo or PDF. We'll compare each line to what Medicare pays and flag anything worth questioning.

Check my bill

Sanford Medical Center Bismarck in Bismarck, North Dakota receives a BillKarma billing grade of F based on an average markup of 12.4x Medicare rates across 18 procedures in their published price transparency file. This places it among the 10 most expensive hospitals in North Dakota by markup ratio. The highest individual markups are for Wound Debridement (123.7x Medicare) and Egd biopsy single/multiple (41.0x Medicare). Patients with scheduled procedures at this hospital should review costs and compare nearby alternatives before confirming — charges at D and F grade hospitals are significantly above the national average.

Common procedure prices

Last updated: 2026-10-21

Code	Description	Hospital charge	Medicare pays	Markup	Your est. cost
11042	Wound Debridement	$6901.00	$55.78	123.7×	—
43239	Egd biopsy single/multiple	$5061.00	$123.58	41.0×	—
45378	Diagnostic colonoscopy	$3747.00	$164.67	22.8×	—
45385	Colonoscopy w/lesion removal	$4585.00	$223.45	20.5×	—
49650	Lap ing hernia repair init	$7826.00	$424.19	18.4×	—
59000	Amniocentesis diagnostic	$1254.00	$72.81	17.2×	—
29881	Knee Arthroscopy	$8856.00	$515.71	17.2×	—
20610	Joint Injection (drainage)	$632.00	$39.75	15.9×	—
70551	Mri brain stem w/o dye	$2809.00	$195.40	14.4×	—
70553	Mri brain stem w/o & w/dye	$3809.00	$316.97	12.0×	—
44970	Laparoscopy appendectomy	$6845.00	$578.17	11.8×	—
27130	Total Hip Replacement	$12835.00	$1162.02	11.0×	—
49505	Prp i/hern init reduc >5 yr	$5535.00	$508.03	10.9×	—
47562	Laparoscopic cholecystectomy	$6812.00	$631.95	10.8×	—
27447	Total Knee Replacement	$11266.00	$1159.35	9.7×	—
22551	Cervical Spine Fusion	$14655.00	$1604.91	9.1×	—
59025	Fetal non-stress test	$351.00	$50.44	7.0×	—
71045	X-ray exam chest 1 view	$144.00	$25.38	5.7×	—
71046	X-ray exam chest 2 views	$169.00	$33.07	5.1×	—
10060	Abscess Drainage	$403.00	$100.54	4.0×	—

Highlighted: charged at 5× or more what Medicare pays for the same code.

How to dispute a bill from Sanford Medical Center Bismarck

Last updated: 2026-10-21

SANFORD MEDICAL CENTER BISMARCK currently shows a billing grade of F with an average markup around 12.4x versus Medicare reference rates. In currently loaded benchmark samples, this is above the national average (8.0x). Use that benchmark when asking billing to review line items and justify large gaps. This hospital appears to be nonprofit. Ask for the formal financial assistance application, income thresholds, and deadline rules before making payment commitments. Reported charity-care level is not reported. Before paying, scan your bill with BillKarma to identify line-item issues and generate a dispute packet.

Location

Location map unavailable for this hospital.

Nearby hospitals

Sanford Hillsboro Hillsboro · Grade D
Sanford Mayville Mayville · Grade F
Sanford Medical Center Fargo Fargo · Grade F

Prices at a glance

Billing grade: F
Typical price vs. Medicare: 12.4×
Procedures compared: 18
Rank in North Dakota: 2
Cash discount: None
Patient Experience: Not Reported

From the hospital's price transparency file, compared with 2026 Medicare rates. Last updated: 2026-10-21. How grades work

In collections already?

You can still apply for assistance. You can also ask the collector to validate the debt.

Validation letter

Want us to handle it?

Insurance denied the claim? We write and send the appeal. Juggling a lot of bills? We check each one against your insurer's statement.

Appeal a denial Household plan