Quick answer. No reliable national average for private knee replacement exists. CGHS pays Rs 1,21,600 to Rs 1,52,000 at NABH hospitals, before the implant. PM-JAY pays Rs 36,400 to Rs 43,600 plus Rs 55,000 for the implant. Those are scheme rates, not private prices. Get a written estimate.
Search for this cost and you will find plenty of ranges, most with no source, date or sample behind them. This guide does something narrower. It only gives figures we could open and trace: a government rate list, a price cap, or a price a hospital published itself. Where nobody publishes a figure, we say so.
This is general information, not medical or financial advice. Whether you need surgery, and which implant suits you, is for you and your surgeon to decide.
Figures we could trace
| Treatment | Government rate or ceiling | Published private prices | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total knee replacement, one knee (OR089), Tier I city, NABHSemi-private ward. Implant paid separately. | ₹1,52,000 (CGHS) | Not published | CGHS OM 3 Oct 2025 checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Same, Tier I city, non-NABHSemi-private ward. Implant paid separately. | ₹1,29,200 (CGHS) | Not published | CGHS OM 3 Oct 2025 checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Same, Tier I city, super speciality hospitalSemi-private ward. Implant paid separately. | ₹1,74,800 (CGHS) | Not published | CGHS OM 3 Oct 2025 checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Same, Tier II city, NABHSemi-private ward. Implant paid separately. | ₹1,36,800 (CGHS) | Not published | CGHS OM 3 Oct 2025 checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Same, Tier III city, NABHSemi-private ward. Implant paid separately. | ₹1,21,600 (CGHS) | Not published | CGHS OM 3 Oct 2025 checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Primary total knee replacement (SB039A), Tier 1 (X) cityProcedure rate only. The list adds an implant cost of Rs 55,000. | ₹43,600 (PM-JAY HBP 2022) | Not published | HBP 2022, Uttarakhand SHA copy checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Same, Tier 2 (Y) cityProcedure rate only. The list adds an implant cost of Rs 55,000. | ₹41,300 (PM-JAY HBP 2022) | Not published | HBP 2022, Uttarakhand SHA copy checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Same, Tier 3 (Z) cityProcedure rate only. The list adds an implant cost of Rs 55,000. | ₹36,400 (PM-JAY HBP 2022) | Not published | HBP 2022, Uttarakhand SHA copy checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Total knee replacement, C grade hospitalRs 90,000 procedure plus implant up to Rs 40,000. | ₹1,30,000 (Tamil Nadu NHIS 2026) | Not published | Tamil Nadu NHIS 2026 list checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Same, A1 grade hospitalRs 1,17,000 procedure plus implant up to Rs 40,000. | ₹1,57,000 (Tamil Nadu NHIS 2026) | Not published | Tamil Nadu NHIS 2026 list checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Primary implant set, cobalt chromiumA price cap on the device, not a scheme payment. Our sum of four component caps, before GST. In force to 15 Nov 2026 or further orders. | ₹54,720 (NPPA ceiling) | Not published | Component caps, Shalby Hospitals page; extension S.O. 5190(E) checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Primary implant set, titanium alloy or oxidized zirconiumA price cap on the device, not a scheme payment. Our sum of four component caps, before GST. In force to 15 Nov 2026 or further orders. | ₹76,660 (NPPA ceiling) | Not published | Component caps, Shalby Hospitals page; extension S.O. 5190(E) checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Revision implant set, any materialA price cap on the device, not a scheme payment. Our sum of four component caps, before GST. In force to 15 Nov 2026 or further orders. | ₹1,13,950 (NPPA ceiling) | Not published | Component caps, Shalby Hospitals page; extension S.O. 5190(E) checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Knee replacement, CARE Hospitals, India rangeThe hospital group's estimate, undated. It says this is not a fixed quote and does not list what is included. | Not listed | ₹1,50,000 to ₹6,00,000 | CARE Hospitals checked 2 Nov 2026 |
| Knee replacement, CARE Hospitals, HyderabadSame page and same terms as above. | Not listed | ₹1,50,000 to ₹5,50,000 | CARE Hospitals checked 2 Nov 2026 |
Read the columns separately. A scheme rate is what that scheme pays an empanelled hospital for its own members. It is not a price a hospital has to offer you as a private patient, and it does not tell you what a private bill will be.
What the government rates tell you
CGHS
The Central Government Health Scheme revised its list in an office memorandum dated 3 Oct 2025, effective 13 Oct 2025. The rates assume a semi-private ward. They change in four ways:
- City. Tier II rates are 10% lower than Tier I, and Tier III rates 20% lower. Tier I is Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune and Ahmedabad.
- Accreditation. Non-NABH hospitals get 15% less than NABH ones. For knee replacement that is Rs 1,16,280 in Tier II and Rs 1,03,360 in Tier III.
- Hospital type. Super speciality hospitals get 15% more: Rs 1,57,320 in Tier II and Rs 1,39,840 in Tier III. The memorandum defines these as NABH or equivalent hospitals with at least 200 beds and a set list of specialties.
- Ward. A general ward entitlement takes 5% off the package. A private ward adds 5%.
Implants are paid on top, at CGHS ceiling rates that the memorandum does not print. If a member chooses a costlier implant, the difference is theirs to pay. The package itself covers up to 12 days for super specialty treatment or 7 days for other major surgery, including the operation, anaesthesia, medicines, routine tests and physiotherapy.
PM-JAY
PM-JAY is cashless for eligible families, within a Rs 5,00,000 cover. NHA’s user guidelines say package costs include implants, medicines and tests, along with tests and medicines for up to 15 days after discharge. The list we read is HBP 2022. Revision surgery (SB039B) is listed at Rs 44,600 to Rs 53,500, with an implant cost of Rs 1,00,000.
NHA’s own download pages did not load for us, so we read copies on the Uttarakhand and Haryana State Health Agency sites. States may change rates and add incentives, so ask your State Health Agency or the hospital’s Ayushman desk which version applies. Some packages are also reserved for public hospitals, and that can differ by state.
Tamil Nadu NHIS
Tamil Nadu’s NHIS 2026 list is a useful comparison because it shows procedure and implant separately. The procedure rate rises 10% with each hospital grade from C to A1, while the implant limit stays at Rs 40,000.
The implant price cap, part by part
NPPA capped knee implant prices in August 2017 (S.O. 2668(E)) and has extended the cap since. The latest order, S.O. 5190(E) of 14 Nov 2025, runs to 15 Nov 2026 or further orders. We found no later order on 2 Nov 2026, so check nppa.gov.in if you are reading this after that date.
We could not open NPPA’s original 2017 PDF. These component caps come from a page Shalby Hospitals publishes, and they match the tables reproduced by Medical Dialogues and the law firm Nishith Desai Associates. GST is extra.
| Component | Material | Cap per unit, before GST |
|---|---|---|
| Primary femoral | Titanium alloy or oxidized zirconium | Rs 38,740 |
| Primary femoral | Hi-flex | Rs 25,860 |
| Primary femoral | Cobalt chromium and others | Rs 24,090 |
| Primary tibial | Titanium alloy or oxidized zirconium | Rs 24,280 |
| Primary tibial | Cobalt chromium and others | Rs 16,990 |
| Primary insert | Any | Rs 9,550 |
| Patella, primary or revision | Any | Rs 4,090 |
| Revision femoral | Any | Rs 62,770 |
| Revision tibial | Any | Rs 31,220 |
| Revision insert | Any | Rs 15,870 |
The cap covers the implant, not the operation. It does tell you something practical: a line for implants on your estimate can be checked against these figures, once you know the material and the parts. Makers of cementless implants have asked NPPA for a separate price category. As of a February 2026 report, the decision was still deferred.
What moves a private bill
We have no sourced figure for how much each of these adds to a private bill, so we are not putting a number on them. The government lists do show which ones matter.
- Implant material. The caps above differ by Rs 21,940 between a cobalt chromium set and a titanium one.
- Room category. CGHS moves its package by 5% either way. Private hospitals set their own room tariffs, and some charges may rise with the room you pick, so ask.
- NABH status and city. CGHS builds both into its rates, as shown above. A private hospital is not bound by those percentages.
- One knee or both. CGHS and PM-JAY both pay the second surgery in one session at 50%. At the Tier I NABH rate, CGHS would pay Rs 2,28,000 before implants. A private package may work differently.
- Revision surgery. CGHS lists two stages, at Rs 97,000 and Rs 1,29,000 in a Tier I NABH hospital, and the implant caps are higher.
- Robotic surgery. The CGHS list has no separate robotic code. We found no reliable public figure for the extra charge, so ask for it as its own line.
What is often left out
The hospital ranges in our table do not say what they include, so assume nothing. These are the items worth asking about:
- The implant, and whether the quote names a brand and material
- GST on the implant
- Tests before admission, and the cardiac or fitness clearance
- Extra nights, ICU care and treatment of complications
- Physiotherapy after discharge, and walkers or braces
- Follow-up visits and medicines after you go home
How to ask for a written estimate
Ask the billing desk, not only the doctor’s clinic, and ask for it in writing. Compare two or three hospitals on the same lines. A useful estimate states:
- One knee or both, primary or revision
- Room category and the number of nights included
- Implant brand, material and price, shown apart from the package, with GST
- Surgeon, anaesthesia and theatre charges, or a statement that they are inside the package
- What happens to the price if you stay longer or a complication occurs
- The date the estimate stops being valid
You can compare places through find a doctor and our orthopaedics page. Our order never depends on payment.
Schemes and insurance
If you have CGHS or PM-JAY cover, start with the scheme, not with a private quote. Confirm that the hospital is empanelled for this procedure, and what you would pay yourself. See schemes and insurance for how they work.
With private health insurance, terms vary by policy, so read your own. Check any waiting period for joint replacement or existing conditions, any room rent limit, and whether the hospital is on your insurer’s cashless network. Then send the written estimate to your insurer or TPA before admission and ask what it would approve.
Common questions
Is the CGHS rate the price I will pay as a private patient?
No. It is what CGHS pays empanelled hospitals for its members. A hospital can charge a private patient differently.
Why is the PM-JAY figure so much lower than CGHS?
They are separate schemes with separate rate lists and rules. The PM-JAY figure also pays the implant through a separate Rs 55,000 amount, so compare the totals. Neither shows what the surgery costs a hospital.
What is the average cost in my city?
We have no reliable public figure for a city average. Hospitals do not report what patients paid in a form anyone can check. A written estimate from each hospital you are considering is the better guide.
Sources
- CGHS office memorandum F.No.5-16/CGHS(HQ)/HEC/2024(PartI), 3 Oct 2025, copy on the Raman Research Institute site, checked 2 Nov 2026. The CGHS portal has a rate tool, but we read the memorandum.
- PM-JAY HBP 2022 list, Uttarakhand State Health Agency copy, checked 2 Nov 2026. Knee rows match the Haryana copy.
- NHA Health Benefit Package 2.2 user guidelines, November 2021, copy hosted by Business Standard, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Tamil Nadu NHIS 2026 package rates, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- NPPA order S.O. 5190(E), Gazette of India, 14 Nov 2025, copy on Medical Dialogues, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Knee implant ceiling prices, Shalby Hospitals, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Knee implant ceiling table, Medical Dialogues, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Knee implant price control note, Nishith Desai Associates, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Cementless knee implant report, Medical Dialogues, 18 Feb 2026, checked 2 Nov 2026.
- Knee replacement cost, CARE Hospitals, checked 2 Nov 2026.