Heart surgery can range from a relatively planned valve procedure to an extremely complex operation involving multiple coronary arteries, the aorta, congenital abnormalities, or advanced heart failure.
For patients, choosing among the best heart surgery hospitals in the USA therefore involves much more than looking at a general hospital ranking.
The right cardiac center should have substantial experience with the procedure you actually need, transparent outcomes where available, advanced imaging, experienced cardiac anesthesiology, intensive-care support, rehabilitation, and the ability to manage complications.
Cost and insurance matter too.
CABG, valve surgery, TAVR, ventricular-assist devices, and heart transplantation can involve large hospital bills. Network status, negotiated insurance rates, deductibles, coinsurance, and prior authorization can dramatically change what a patient ultimately pays.
This guide explains major U.S. cardiac centers, advanced heart procedures, treatment costs, and insurance questions patients should investigate.
Leading Heart Surgery Hospitals in the USA
| Hospital | Major Cardiac Areas to Investigate | Particularly Relevant For |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Clinic | CABG, valves, aorta, TAVR, transplant | Complex cardiac surgery |
| Mayo Clinic | CABG, valve surgery, minimally invasive surgery | Multidisciplinary heart care |
| NewYork-Presbyterian | Structural heart, CABG, valves, transplant | Academic cardiac care |
| Cedars-Sinai | Heart surgery, structural heart, transplant | Advanced heart disease |
| Mount Sinai | Valve and structural-heart procedures | Complex valve treatment |
This is not a ranking of which hospital is best for an individual patient. The appropriate center depends on the diagnosis, required procedure, surgeon experience, outcomes, insurance network, location, and medical complexity.
1. Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is one of the most important centers to investigate for complex cardiovascular surgery.
Its cardiac-surgery program publicly reports outcomes through the Society of Thoracic Surgeons framework.
For the July 2022–June 2025 reporting period, Cleveland Clinic received the highest three-star STS rating for categories including coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, combined AVR+CABG, mitral valve repair/replacement, combined mitral+CABG, and multiprocedural cardiac surgery. Its reported TAVR rating for the applicable registry period was also three stars.
The center also publishes more recent procedure-volume and outcome information, including cardiac-surgery data covering January through May 2026.
Patients may investigate Cleveland Clinic for:
CABG + valve surgery + aortic surgery + TAVR + complex reoperations + ventricular-assist devices + heart transplantation.
For a complicated cardiac case, procedure-specific outcomes can be considerably more informative than an overall hospital reputation.
Worth investigating for: complex heart surgery, bypass surgery, valve procedures and patients requiring multiple cardiac procedures.
2. Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic offers cardiovascular surgery within a large multidisciplinary medical system.
This can matter when heart disease exists alongside kidney disease, diabetes, lung disease, neurological problems, or other conditions that increase surgical complexity.
Major areas to investigate include:
- Coronary bypass surgery
- Heart-valve repair and replacement
- Aortic surgery
- Minimally invasive cardiac surgery
- Congenital heart surgery
- Advanced heart failure
- Heart transplantation
A multidisciplinary system can also make a second opinion valuable.
One team may determine that open surgery is appropriate, while another patient may be better suited to a catheter-based or less-invasive procedure.
Worth investigating for: patients requiring multidisciplinary evaluation, complicated cardiovascular disease and advanced surgical care.
3. NewYork-Presbyterian
NewYork-Presbyterian combines major academic cardiovascular programs associated with Columbia and Weill Cornell Medicine.
Patients can investigate treatment for:
Coronary artery disease + heart-valve disease + structural-heart disease + aortic conditions + advanced heart failure + transplantation.
Academic centers can be particularly relevant when a patient has an unusual condition or needs expertise from several subspecialties.
A patient with severe aortic stenosis, for example, may benefit from evaluation by a heart team that can compare surgical valve replacement with transcatheter treatment rather than automatically directing every patient toward the same procedure.
Worth investigating for: structural-heart disease, valve procedures, advanced heart failure and academically complex cases.
4. Cedars-Sinai
Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles provides extensive cardiovascular and advanced heart-disease services.
Patients may investigate its programs for:
- Coronary bypass
- Valve surgery
- Structural-heart procedures
- TAVR
- Advanced heart failure
- Mechanical circulatory support
- Heart transplantation
The distinction between traditional surgery and catheter-based intervention has become increasingly important in modern cardiology.
For selected patients with valve disease, treatment may not require the same type of open-heart operation that would historically have been used.
Worth investigating for: advanced heart disease, structural-heart procedures and patients comparing surgical with less-invasive approaches.
5. Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai in New York is another major cardiovascular center worth investigating, particularly for valve and structural-heart disease.
Modern valve programs may offer several treatment pathways depending on anatomy, age, surgical risk and diagnosis.
Those can include:
Open surgery → minimally invasive surgery → transcatheter intervention.
For a patient with complicated valve disease, access to both cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists allows the case to be evaluated from multiple perspectives.
Worth investigating for: valve disease, structural-heart treatment and patients considering different procedural approaches.
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)
CABG—commonly called heart bypass surgery—is performed to improve blood flow when coronary arteries are significantly narrowed or blocked.
During the operation, surgeons use blood vessels from elsewhere in the body to create new routes for blood to reach the heart muscle.
CABG can involve:
- Single bypass
- Double bypass
- Triple bypass
- Quadruple bypass
- Multiple arterial grafting
Patients comparing CABG hospitals should investigate more than the number of operations performed.
Ask about:
Risk-adjusted mortality + major complications + stroke + infection + reoperation + readmission + surgeon experience + cardiac rehabilitation.
Cleveland Clinic’s publicly reported STS data is one example of the type of procedure-specific information patients can investigate.
Heart Valve Repair and Replacement
Heart valves regulate blood flow through the heart.
Disease affecting the aortic, mitral, tricuspid, or pulmonary valve can sometimes require intervention.
Depending on the condition, treatment may involve:
Valve Repair
Whenever appropriate, surgeons may be able to preserve the patient’s existing valve.
Valve Replacement
A damaged valve may be replaced with a mechanical or tissue valve.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Selected procedures can be performed through smaller incisions than conventional sternotomy.
Transcatheter Procedures
Some valve diseases can be treated using catheter-based techniques rather than conventional open surgery.
The correct option depends on the specific valve, anatomy, age, overall health and expected long-term results.
TAVR vs Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement
TAVR—transcatheter aortic valve replacement—is one of the most important developments in structural-heart treatment.
It allows an aortic valve to be replaced using a catheter-based approach.
But TAVR is not automatically the best option for every patient.
A heart team may consider:
Age + anatomy + surgical risk + valve durability + coronary disease + previous procedures + other heart conditions.
A younger patient needing additional cardiac surgery might have a different treatment strategy from an older patient with isolated severe aortic stenosis.
This is why evaluation at a center offering both surgical and transcatheter expertise can be useful.
Minimally Invasive and Robotic Heart Surgery
Some patients may qualify for heart surgery through smaller incisions.
Potential benefits in selected cases can include reduced surgical trauma and potentially shorter recovery, although outcomes depend heavily on the procedure and patient.
Minimally invasive approaches may be available for certain:
- Mitral-valve procedures
- Aortic-valve procedures
- Coronary procedures
- Other selected cardiac operations
Do not choose robotic surgery merely because the technology sounds advanced.
Ask how frequently the surgeon performs that exact operation and whether the minimally invasive approach provides a meaningful benefit for your case.
Heart Transplant and Advanced Heart Failure
Heart transplantation is reserved for selected patients with severe end-stage heart disease when other therapies are no longer sufficient.
The treatment pathway can include:
Advanced medication → device therapy → ventricular-assist device → transplant evaluation → heart transplantation.
Patients considering transplantation should investigate:
- Transplant volume
- Patient survival
- Waiting-list practices
- Mechanical circulatory support
- Multiorgan transplant capability
- Post-transplant care
- Insurance authorization
- Anti-rejection medication coverage
The long-term cost of transplantation also extends beyond the surgery because recipients generally require extensive follow-up and immunosuppressive treatment.
How Much Does Heart Surgery Cost in the USA?
There is no reliable single national price for heart surgery.
Costs vary according to:
Procedure + hospital + surgeon + insurance contract + operating room + anesthesia + ICU + devices + complications + length of stay + rehabilitation.
A CABG operation and a TAVR procedure do not have the same cost structure.
Similarly, a routine valve operation and a complicated redo operation can produce dramatically different bills.
Patients should understand three separate numbers:
Hospital gross charge ≠ insurer-negotiated allowed amount ≠ patient out-of-pocket cost.
The last figure is usually the most important to an insured patient.
Hospital Price Transparency in 2026
Federal price-transparency rules can help patients investigate potential costs.
CMS requires U.S. hospitals to make pricing information available through machine-readable data and consumer-friendly information for shoppable services.
The rules became more detailed in 2026.
When certain payer-negotiated charges are based on percentages or algorithms, hospitals must report dollar-based median, 10th-percentile and 90th-percentile allowed amounts, plus the number of allowed amounts used in the calculations. The updated requirements took effect January 1, 2026, with enforcement beginning April 1.
For major heart surgery, however, patients should still request a personalized estimate.
The total episode may involve the hospital, surgeon, anesthesiologist, imaging, laboratory services, devices and post-operative care.
Health Insurance Coverage for Heart Surgery
Insurance can materially change the financial impact of cardiac surgery.
Before scheduling a planned operation, verify:
Hospital Network
Is the cardiac hospital in-network?
Surgeon Network
Is the surgeon covered separately?
Prior Authorization
Does the insurer need to approve the surgery?
Deductible
How much of the deductible remains?
Coinsurance
What percentage of the insurer’s allowed amount could you owe?
Out-of-Pocket Maximum
How much qualifying in-network cost sharing remains for the year?
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Is post-surgery rehabilitation covered, and under what conditions?
Do not rely solely on a hospital saying it “accepts” your insurance.
Confirm coverage directly with the insurer for the hospital, surgeon and planned procedure.
Medicare and Heart Surgery Costs in 2026
Medicare can cover medically necessary cardiac treatment for eligible beneficiaries subject to Medicare’s coverage and cost-sharing rules.
For 2026, the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period. For longer inpatient stays, Part A coinsurance is $434 per day for days 61–90 and $868 per lifetime-reserve day.
Medicare Part B covers physicians’ services and many outpatient medical services. The standard Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026, while the annual Part B deductible is $283.
These numbers should not be interpreted as the total price of heart surgery.
A cardiac episode can involve services falling under different Medicare coverage rules, and a patient’s supplemental or Medicare Advantage coverage can materially affect out-of-pocket expenses.
Cardiac Rehabilitation After Surgery
The financial and medical journey does not end when the patient leaves the operating room.
Recovery can involve:
Cardiac rehabilitation + medication + cardiology follow-up + laboratory testing + imaging + lifestyle changes.
Cardiac rehabilitation may include supervised exercise, education and cardiovascular risk-management support.
Before surgery, patients should investigate whether their insurance covers the recommended rehabilitation program and what copayments or coinsurance may apply.
How to Compare Heart Surgery Hospitals
A practical comparison should include:
- Experience with your exact procedure
- Surgeon volume and expertise
- Risk-adjusted outcomes
- STS or other credible quality data
- ICU and complication-management capabilities
- Minimally invasive options
- Structural-heart capabilities
- Transplant/advanced-heart-failure support where relevant
- Insurance network status
- Estimated out-of-pocket cost
A famous hospital with excellent overall cardiology may not necessarily be the best fit for every individual operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some major heart surgery hospitals in the USA?
Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, NewYork-Presbyterian, Cedars-Sinai and Mount Sinai are major cardiovascular centers worth investigating. Patients should compare the specific procedure, surgeon and current outcomes rather than relying only on overall reputation.
Which hospital publishes detailed CABG and valve-surgery outcomes?
Cleveland Clinic publicly reports STS cardiac-surgery ratings and procedure data. It currently reports the highest three-star STS rating for CABG and several valve-surgery categories for the July 2022–June 2025 period.
How much does bypass surgery cost?
There is no single U.S. price. Hospital, surgeon, insurance network, complexity, ICU use, complications and rehabilitation can all affect cost. Insured patients should request the negotiated estimate and expected out-of-pocket responsibility rather than relying on gross hospital charges.
Does health insurance cover open-heart surgery?
Many health plans cover medically necessary cardiac surgery subject to network, prior-authorization, deductible, coinsurance and other policy requirements.
Does Medicare cover heart surgery?
Medicare can cover medically necessary cardiac services for eligible beneficiaries under applicable rules. Inpatient hospital and physician/outpatient components may fall under different parts of Medicare.
Is TAVR better than open-heart valve surgery?
Not universally. Age, anatomy, surgical risk, durability considerations, coronary disease and other medical factors influence the decision.
Is robotic heart surgery safer?
A robotic or minimally invasive approach can be appropriate for selected patients, but the best technique depends on the procedure and patient. Surgeon experience and procedure-specific outcomes are more useful than choosing a technique because it sounds more advanced.
Conclusion
Choosing among the best heart surgery hospitals in the USA should begin with the patient’s exact diagnosis and procedure—not with a generic hospital ranking.
For coronary artery disease, compare CABG experience and outcomes.
For valve disease, compare repair, replacement, minimally invasive surgery and TAVR.
For advanced heart failure, investigate mechanical circulatory support and heart-transplant programs.
Cleveland Clinic is particularly notable for publicly reporting high STS ratings across multiple major cardiac-surgery categories, while Mayo Clinic, NewYork-Presbyterian, Cedars-Sinai and Mount Sinai provide additional sophisticated cardiovascular programs worth investigating.
Patients should then examine the financial pathway:
Hospital → surgeon → procedure → negotiated insurance rate → prior authorization → deductible → coinsurance → out-of-pocket maximum → rehabilitation.
A hospital’s gross charge alone does not tell an insured patient what the operation will actually cost.
The strongest decision combines procedure-specific medical expertise with credible outcome data, an appropriate treatment approach and a clear understanding of insurance coverage and expected out-of-pocket expenses.