It was just a simple scope to remove 25% of my meniscus. I had to pay just under $1100. So and additional 90% would be the 10K that insurance covers. It adds up pretty quickly; operating room, surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, etc. I don't know anywhere where you can get a knee operation for 2K. And I value my health too much to do it on the cheap. I was in a first rate hospital with an excellent surgeon.
Had mine repaired last year. Started out with what I though was a sprain, and the pain just didn't go away for a year before I finally went to Dr. about. They don't look for torn meniscus right away if you don't have a specific event you think caused it, so I did physical therapy and steroid injections and x-rays before they finally ruled everything out and ordered an MRI that discovered the tear. Knee is great now.
Don't put it off. The change in gait due to knee caused a severed calf issue that required several steroid shots, more PT, big doses of Magnesium and constant stretching and heat before it finally got better -- that took several months after the knee surgery.
I wouldn't say I had mine done on the cheap, UR Medicine in Rochester. Even the poster before you listed surgery for around $2,000 (for just a scope and trim). It was outpatient in a surgery center, if that affects it. And again, I only paid $150.
It would be interesting to see what others are paying, or more accurately, what the actual bill is.