The quote you receive for a joint replacement depends on what you send. This guide builds a five-part request packet (the joint, imaging, health details, logistics and a one-page reply template) so every surgeon or hospital prices the same case and answers the same lines.
Why the request shapes the quote
A surgeon or hospital can only price what it can see. Send a one-line message ("How much is a knee replacement?") and you will get a one-line answer: a starting price that assumes an uncomplicated first operation, a standard stay and nothing unusual about your health. Send the same message to three places and you will get three starting prices built on three sets of guesses.
A quote packet fixes that at the source. It is a short, organized set of information you send to every provider you are considering, together with a request that they reply in the same one-page format. The checklist above tracks which parts you have ready. When every provider is answering the same question with the same facts in front of them, the replies become comparable without heavy rework later.
One rule before you start: the site's public form is for routing only. Detailed medical records and imaging should go to the provider through its own clinical channel, not through a marketing form or an open chat.
Part 1: The joint and the problem
This is the core of the packet, and it should fit on half a page.
- Joint and side. Right knee, left hip, right shoulder. If both sides are affected, say so, and say which is worse.
- First replacement or redo. If there is already an implant in that joint, this is a revision request and belongs in a different packet; see the revision case packet.
- Working diagnosis in the words your doctor used, for example osteoarthritis or a specific injury.
- How long and how it limits you. Walking distance, stairs, sleep, work.
- What has been tried. Medicines, injections, physical therapy, weight loss, bracing, with rough dates.
- What a doctor has already proposed, if anything: total or partial knee, total or reverse shoulder, and by whom.
The last point matters because providers may propose different operations. For knees, the guide to total vs partial knee replacement explains why; for shoulders, see total vs reverse shoulder replacement. You want each provider to tell you what they would do and why, not just price what you asked for.
Part 2: Imaging
Recent X-rays of the joint, with the radiologist's report, are the minimum most surgeons will want before giving anything more than a starting price. Include the date of the images. If you have had an MRI or CT for the same joint, mention it and have it ready, but let the surgeon say whether it is needed. Send image files through the provider's secure channel; a photo of a screen is rarely enough to plan surgery from.
Part 3: Health details that change the plan
Several things in your general health can change the operation, the anesthesia plan, the stay or the pre-operative workup, and therefore the price. Listing them up front avoids a quote that changes after the consultation.
- Medicines and supplements. MedlinePlus notes that in the 2 weeks before hip replacement, patients may need to stop blood-thinning medicines, immune-suppressing drugs and certain diabetes and weight-loss medicines (MedlinePlus, reviewed 2025). List everything you take with doses.
- Smoking and alcohol. MedlinePlus advises quitting smoking because it slows wound and bone healing, and asks patients to tell the surgeon if they drink more than 1 or 2 drinks a day (MedlinePlus, reviewed 2025).
- Medical conditions such as heart or lung disease, diabetes, kidney problems, a history of blood clots, or previous problems with anesthesia.
- Height and weight. Your surgeon may want to discuss weight before surgery, and it can affect planning, so include it rather than waiting to be asked.
- Previous surgery on the same joint, such as an arthroscopy or fracture fixation.
- Dental health. OrthoInfo advises scheduling any dental work well before surgery (AAOS OrthoInfo, 2026).
Part 4: Logistics
- Your preferred window for surgery, and how fixed it is.
- Whether you are traveling, and from where.
- Who will be with you after surgery, and for how long.
- Where you expect to do your rehabilitation: near the hospital, at home, or both.
- The currency you want the quote in, and how you expect to pay.
Part 5: Ask for the reply on one page
The most useful thing in the packet is the reply template. Ask each provider to answer every line, writing "not included" or "not known yet" rather than leaving a line out. A simple version:
| Reply line | What you are asking the provider to state |
|---|---|
| Proposed operation | Name of the procedure, side, and why it was chosen |
| Reviewed by | Whether a surgeon has seen your imaging, and the surgeon's name |
| Surgeon and assistant | Fees, or confirmation they are inside the total |
| Anesthesia | Expected type and the anesthesia fee |
| Hospital | Facility charges and number of nights included |
| Extra night | How an additional night would be billed |
| Implant | Whether included, and the components assumed |
| Pre-operative tests | Which tests, and whether they are inside the price |
| Medicines | In-hospital and take-home medicines, including clot prevention |
| Therapy | Sessions in hospital and any after discharge |
| Follow-up | Post-operative visits and X-rays included, and until when |
| Not included | Everything the patient will pay separately |
| What could change the price | Findings or events that would alter the total |
| Validity and payment | How long the quote is valid, currency, deposit and refund terms |
OrthoInfo describes a general medical evaluation several weeks before surgery, which may include blood tests, an electrocardiogram and a chest X-ray (AAOS OrthoInfo, 2026). Asking where those happen, and who pays, is often where packages differ.
An illustrative cover note
This is a made-up example to show the level of detail, not a template you must copy.
Right knee, first replacement. Diagnosed with osteoarthritis by my orthopedist; pain for about four years, worse over the last year. I can walk around ten minutes before I need to stop, and stairs are difficult. I have tried anti-inflammatory medicine, two injections and a course of physical therapy. My local surgeon has suggested a total knee replacement. X-rays from last month and the report are attached through your secure upload. I take medicine for blood pressure and a daily low-dose aspirin, and I do not smoke. I would like surgery in the spring, my spouse will travel with me for the whole stay, and I plan to continue therapy at home. Please complete the attached one-page reply, including what you would recommend and why.
Notice what it does: it states the joint, the history and the request, points to the records rather than pasting them, and asks for a recommendation as well as a price. A provider who receives this can give a far more specific answer than one who receives a single question.
What to leave out
- Identity documents, insurance numbers and payment details. They are not needed for a quote.
- Long narratives about every doctor you have seen. Keep the history to dates and facts.
- Requests for a guaranteed price before a surgeon has reviewed your imaging. You will get either a refusal or a number that changes later.
Sending it
- Send the same packet, with the same template, to every provider. Changing the question between providers defeats the purpose.
- Keep a copy of exactly what you sent and the date, so you can tell later whether a revised quote reflects new information.
- If a provider replies with a price only, send the template back and ask them to complete it.
- If a provider asks for more information, add the answer to the packet and send the update to everyone.
When replies arrive, compare completeness before price. For hip quotes in particular, the hip replacement quote normalizer shows how to line them up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a real joint replacement quote without sending X-rays?
Usually only a starting price. Most surgeons want to see recent imaging before they confirm the operation they would recommend, and the quote depends on that recommendation.
Should I tell providers what other hospitals have quoted?
It is not needed for a fair quote. The packet works best when each provider assesses your case on its own information and answers the same template.
Where should I send my medical records?
Through the provider's own clinical channel, such as a secure upload or a clinical email address. Do not put records or imaging into a public website form.
What if a provider recommends a different operation from the one I asked about?
Ask them to explain why, and to quote what they would actually do. A different recommendation is useful information for a second opinion, not a reason to ignore the quote.
How long is a joint replacement quote usually valid?
It depends on the provider, which is why validity is one of the template lines. Ask for the date it expires and what would happen to the price if your surgery moved.
Compare a joint replacement plan or quote
Start with the joint, side, destination preference and timing. You do not need to upload the full medical record here.
Related joint-replacement guides
Orthopedic lead network
- MedlinePlus: Hip joint replacement (reviewed 2025)
- AAOS OrthoInfo: Preparing for Joint Replacement Surgery (2026)
These sources support general joint-replacement preparation, procedure and medical-travel concepts. They do not establish a personal diagnosis, treatment recommendation, implant selection or travel-clearance date.