Our bundled procedure price covers the surgeon's professional fee, the anesthesia fee, the facility fee for the outpatient procedure, and routine post-operative follow-up visits. Items outside the bundle: pre-op labs (if needed), pathology (if applicable), additional imaging beyond what you bring, and post-op physical therapy. The $250 consultation is credited toward the procedure if scheduled.
The bundle — what you pay
The single bundled cash price for endoscopic lumbar microdiscectomy or laminotomy is $15,000 (2026). For a cervical endoscopic procedure, it’s $16,000. For percutaneous discectomy, it’s $6,000. The COOLIEF bundles are $3,000 knee, $4,000 hip, $3,000 shoulder.Each of these single numbers covers the components below. The point of the bundle is that you know the total before scheduling; there are no surprise additions for the bundled components afterward.
What the bundle covers
Surgeon’s professional fee — Dr. McMillan’s time for the procedure itself. Anesthesia fee — local anesthesia at the surgical site plus light sedation, administered by the anesthesia provider. Facility fee — operating room time, supplies, post-op recovery area. Routine post-operative follow-up — visits with Dr. McMillan over the standard recovery window to confirm healing and review progress.Each of these is a real cost. Bundling them is a billing structure: you get one number that represents the procedure as an episode rather than a series of independent line items.
What's outside the bundle
Pre-procedure labs — if your specific situation requires bloodwork before the procedure, those tests are billed by the lab directly. Most patients have these already from their primary care. Pathology — if tissue is sent for examination, the pathology fee is separate. Additional imaging — your existing MRI is typically what we work from; if additional imaging is needed, it’s billed separately by the imaging provider. Post-operative physical therapy — many patients benefit from a short course; PT is billed by your chosen PT provider.These items are usually modest. The office reviews any expected non-bundle costs with you before scheduling, so there are no surprises.
Send your MRI for a free review
Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally. You get a candid answer about candidacy before any travel or scheduling.
How a typical patient pathway unfolds
Most patients arrive at Synergy having already seen one or more surgeons elsewhere. The pathway here is built around that reality: a careful second read of the existing imaging, a candid conversation about what is and is not warranted, and — when intervention does make sense — a procedure that is as small as the pathology allows.
The starting point is usually the free MRI review. You upload or mail your existing scan; Dr. McMillan reviews it personally and responds with a candid assessment. If the review suggests you are a candidate for the endoscopic approach, the next step is a $250 consultation (credited toward the procedure if you proceed) to discuss the specifics for your anatomy. If the review suggests you are not a candidate, the response tells you that directly and offers honest guidance about what might serve better.
For patients who decide to move forward, scheduling typically happens within two to three weeks depending on the calendar. The procedure itself is outpatient — most patients arrive in the morning, go home the same day, and are walking with a small dressing covering the incision. Routine follow-up visits over the recovery window are part of the procedure bundle, and the office coordinates with your local providers as needed. Out-of-town patients are accommodated as a routine matter; we see patients from across South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and beyond.
The consultation fee
The initial consultation with Dr. McMillan is $250. This covers his time to review your imaging and history personally and give you a candid evaluation — including, sometimes, the answer that you’re not a candidate and why. If you proceed with surgery, the $250 is credited toward the procedure bundle.If you’re not a candidate, the $250 covers the consultation and that’s the extent of what you owe us. Honest evaluation matters. We don’t ask patients to travel for procedures that won’t help them.
Bottom line
Our bundled procedure price covers the surgeon's professional fee, the anesthesia fee, the facility fee for the outpatient procedure, and routine post-operative follow-up visits. Items outside the bundle: pre-op labs (if needed), pathology (if applicable), additional imaging beyond what you bring, and post-op physical therapy. The $250 consultation is credited toward the procedure if scheduled.
If you’ve been told you need a fusion — or you’re trying to avoid one — a free MRI review is the most useful next step. Dr. McMillan reviews each scan personally and tells you candidly whether the endoscopic approach fits your specific anatomy.
For patients dealing with what's included bundled price, the conversation comes down to specifics: what your imaging actually shows, what your symptoms are actually telling us, and which procedure (if any) genuinely matches that pattern. The candid answer is sometimes that you do not need surgery yet; the candid answer is sometimes that you do, but a smaller operation than the one you have been quoted. A second-opinion MRI review separates those cases and gives you the information you need to make the decision well.
How Synergy structures pricing — and why it matters for what’s included in the bundled price
The pricing model at Synergy Spine Center exists because the U.S. spine surgery market historically operates without it. A patient quoted “between $80,000 and $150,000” for a fusion by a hospital surgeon learns the actual number — surgeon, facility, anesthesia, implants, post-op — only after surgery, often via four or five separate invoices arriving over six months. Synergy publishes its 2026 procedural rates on the site at /spine-surgery-cost-transparent-pricing/ precisely so patients can plan financially before scheduling.
For patients researching what’s included in the bundled price specifically, the practical implication is that the price you see at the point of endoscopic discectomy consultation is the price you pay. Bundled cash pricing covers surgeon time, facility use, anesthesia, and routine post-operative follow-up. There are no separate invoices from the anesthesiologist, no facility fee added by a hospital, and no surprise billing from out-of-network providers because the practice does not contract with any out-of-network providers as part of routine procedures. For comparison context, the transparent spine surgery pricing page covers how this approach fits the broader pricing picture across spine surgery.
Financial planning begins with the free MRI review, which establishes candidacy before any financial commitment. Patients who are candidates receive a written assessment that includes the specific procedure recommended and the corresponding bundled price. Patients who are not candidates are told that directly, with referral guidance — the review is screening, not sales. Out-of-town patients should also review the 3-day plan and medical travel cost page to estimate total trip expenses. For broader background on healthcare price transparency policy, Healthcare.gov — Bundled Payment provides regulatory and consumer guidance.
Frequently asked
Are there any surprise fees?
No, by design. The bundle covers the components listed. Non-bundle items (labs, pathology, PT) are billed by the respective providers and are reviewed with you before scheduling so you know what to expect. Out-of-town patients should also review the 3-day plan and the medical travel cost page to estimate full trip cost beyond the procedural fee.
What if my procedure ends up taking longer?
The bundle is set for the planned procedure. Significant changes — for example, if additional levels are identified intraoperatively — are discussed in advance. We don’t surprise-bill the bundle. Detailed price information for the most relevant procedure is at the endoscopic discectomy page, where 2026 bundled rates are published openly.
Does the bundle cover overnight stay if needed?
The procedure is outpatient and same-day discharge is standard for the great majority of patients. Hospital admission for unexpected reasons would be billed separately by the receiving facility, though this is uncommon. Detailed price information for the most relevant procedure is at the endoscopic discectomy page, where 2026 bundled rates are published openly.
What if I need a redo procedure?
A redo procedure (revision) is billed as a separate procedure with its own pricing. Recurrence at the same level is uncommon but not impossible. Specifics are discussed if the situation arises. For a personalized price quote tied to your specific diagnosis, submit your imaging through the free MRI review — you’ll receive the bundled price for the specific recommended procedure along with candidacy assessment.
Is the consultation fee refundable if I decide not to proceed?
No — the consultation covers Dr. McMillan’s time to review your case. If you proceed with surgery, the $250 is credited toward the procedure bundle. For broader context on how Synergy’s approach compares with traditional pricing, the transparent spine surgery pricing page provides additional comparison.
How does the bundle compare to hospital pricing?
Hospital-based equivalent procedures often run several multiples of our bundled price, particularly when separate facility, anesthesia, surgeon, and assistant fees are billed. The CMS transparency data show the variation; comparison shopping is worth doing. For a personalized price quote tied to your specific diagnosis, submit your imaging through the free MRI review — you’ll receive the bundled price for the specific recommended procedure along with candidacy assessment.
How this page was prepared
This page summarizes the clinical approach taken at Synergy Spine Center for the topic above. It is based on peer-reviewed literature, professional society guidelines (NASS, AAOS), federal patient education resources (NIH, AHRQ, CMS), and Dr. McMillan’s experience as Director of Spinal Medicine and Endoscopic Spinal Surgery. Outcome language is qualified. Individual results vary. Pricing where shown is current for 2026 and may change.
References
- CMS Hospital Price Transparency. — source
- AHRQ — surgical bundled payment research. — source
- OrthoInfo — spinal surgery overview. — source
- Healthcare.gov — Bundled Payment — authoritative reference on what’s included in the bundled price.
- CMS — Hospital Price Transparency — authoritative reference on what’s included in the bundled price.
Synergy Spine Center publishes patient education content for general information only; it is not medical advice and does not establish a physician-patient relationship. For specific medical guidance, schedule a consultation. No identifiable patient information is included on this page.