Tonsils and adenoids removal (under age 12) in Chicago, IL-IN costs $291 to $19,109. Here's every hospital's price.
5 hospitals in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area publish a cash price for tonsils and adenoids removal (under age 12) (CPT 42820). We read their files every month so you don't have to.
Across the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, 5 hospitals list a cash price for tonsils and adenoids removal (under age 12) (CPT 42820). The lowest is $291 at Humboldt Park Health, the median is $13,740 and the highest is $19,109 at Northwestern Medicine Mchenry. The most expensive hospital lists 66 times the cheapest for the same code.
The Chicago, IL-IN median of $13,740 is 218% above the national median of $4,321 across 386 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.
26 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $125 to $12,362. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which is sometimes higher than the cash price; you may ask for the cash price instead.
The files behind these prices are dated between November 2025 and August 2026. 55 other hospitals in the metro area have no readable price for this code: some publish no file, some block automated reading, some leave the code out. They are listed below so you can call them.
Sorted by cash price
Hospital facility fee onlyGeneva · 27 mi · File Apr 2026
Dekalb · 47 mi · File Apr 2026
Palos Heights · 7 mi · File Apr 2026
Mchenry · 45 mi · File Apr 2026
Melrose Park · 10 mi · File Mar 2026
La Grange · 3 mi · File Apr 2026
Chicago · 12 mi · File Apr 2026
Hinsdale · 5 mi · File Apr 2026
What's in the price
The hospital facility fee for CPT 42820. The doctor, anesthesia and lab work usually bill separately.
Cash vs. insured
Cash is what you pay without insurance. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which can be higher than cash. You may ask for the cash price.
What to say on the phone
"I'd like the self-pay price for CPT 42820, in writing, and whether it covers facility, physician and anesthesia."
About tonsils and adenoids removal (under age 12)
CPT 42820 is removal of the tonsils and adenoids in a child under 12, done for repeated throat infections or, more often today, for sleep-disordered breathing. It is an outpatient operation under general anesthesia, about 30 to 45 minutes, with one to two weeks of sore throat afterward.
What the price covers
The hospital's price is the facility fee for the operating room, anesthesia equipment, nursing, supplies and recovery. The ENT surgeon and the anesthesiologist bill separately. Children with sleep apnea or under three are sometimes kept overnight, which adds an observation charge.
Why prices vary
Children's hospitals and academic centers list the highest prices for this operation; community hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers list lower. The spread within a metro area is commonly three to five times for the facility fee alone.
Questions to ask
- What is the self-pay price for 42820, and what do surgeon and anesthesia add?
- Will my child need to stay overnight, and what does that cost?
- Can it be done at an ambulatory surgery center?
Hospitals in Chicago, IL-IN without a price for this procedure
Listed so you know who to call. The reason is what we found on their website.
- Alexian Brothers Medical Center 1File found, not read yet
- Amita Health Resurrection Medical CenterFile found, not read yet
- Ann & Robert H Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicagocode not in file
- Community First Medical Centercode not in file
- Community HospitalNo price file found
- Copley Memorial HospitalFile found, not read yet
- Franciscan Health Crown PointFile could not be read
- Franciscan Health DyerFile could not be read
- Franciscan Health MunsterFile could not be read
- Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago HeightsFile could not be read
- Franciscan Health Rensselaer, INCFile could not be read
- Holy Cross HospitalWebsite blocks automated reading
- Insight Hospital and Medical Center ChicagoWebsite blocks automated reading
- Jackson Park Hospitalcode not in file
- John H Stroger Jr HospitalWebsite blocks automated reading
- Larabida Childrens Hospital Icode not in file
- Loretto HospitalWebsite blocks automated reading
- Louis A Weiss Memorial HospitalWebsite blocks automated reading
- Mercy Harvard HospitalNo website on record
- Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-Crystal LaNo website on record
- Methodist Hospital of Chicagocode not in file
- Methodist Hospitals INCcode not in file
- Midwestern Region Med Center, INCNo price file found
- Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centerscode not in file
- Mt Sinai Hospital Medical CenterWebsite blocks automated reading
- Northshore University Healthsystem - Evanston Hospitalcode not in file
- Northwest Community Hospital 1code not in file
- Northwest Health - Portercode not in file
- Northwestern Lake Forest HospitalFile found, not read yet
- Northwestern Medicine Central Dupage HospitalFile could not be read
- Northwestern Memorial HospitalFile could not be read
- Presence Mercy Medical CenterFile found, not read yet
- Presence Saint Joseph Hospital - Chicagocode not in file
- Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical CenterNo website on record
- Provident Hospital of ChicagoWebsite blocks automated reading
- Roseland Community HospitalNo price file found
- Rush Oak Park HospitalFile found, not read yet
- Rush University Medical CenterFile found, not read yet
- Saint Anthony HospitalFile found, not read yet
- Saint Francis Hospital-EvanstonFile found, not read yet
- Saint Joseph Hospital-ElginFile found, not read yet
- Saint Joseph Medical CenterFile found, not read yet
- Shriners Hospital for ChildrenFile found, not read yet
- Silver Cross Hospital and Medical CentersWebsite blocks automated reading
- South Shore HospitalNo price file found
- St Alexius Medical Centercode not in file
- St Bernard HospitalWebsite blocks automated reading
- St Catherine Hospital INCNo price file found
- St Mary Medical Center INCNo price file found
- Swedish HospitalNo price file found
- Thorek Memorial Hospitalcode not in file
- Uchicago Medicine Northwest IndianaNo website on record
- Valley West Community HospitalNo website on record
- Vista Medical Center EastWebsite blocks automated reading
- West Suburban Medical CenterWebsite blocks automated reading