Choosing a hospital for heart surgery can be one of the most important healthcare decisions a patient makes. Modern cardiac centers can perform everything from coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and complex valve repair to minimally invasive surgery, TAVR, aortic procedures, ventricular assist devices, and heart transplantation.

But a famous hospital name alone does not guarantee that it is the best choice for a particular patient.

The best heart surgery hospital in the USA should be evaluated according to the exact procedure required, surgeon experience, cardiac-surgery volume, risk-adjusted outcomes, available technology, insurance network, and expected treatment cost.

This guide compares several leading U.S. cardiac centers and explains heart surgery costs, health-insurance coverage, Medicare, deductibles, coinsurance, and hospital price transparency.

Best Heart Surgery Hospitals in the USA

Several major U.S. medical centers have sophisticated cardiovascular programs.

Hospital	Particularly Notable For
Cleveland Clinic	CABG, valve and complex cardiac surgery
Mayo Clinic	Complex cardiovascular and minimally invasive surgery
NewYork-Presbyterian	Academic cardiac and structural-heart care
Cedars-Sinai	Advanced heart disease and transplantation
Mount Sinai	Valve disease and structural-heart procedures

The correct choice depends on the patient’s diagnosis.

Someone requiring routine bypass surgery should evaluate different factors from a patient needing a second heart operation, complex aortic reconstruction, or heart transplantation.

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is particularly notable for the depth of its cardiovascular program and the amount of outcomes information it makes publicly available.

Its cardiac services cover:

• Coronary bypass surgery
• Aortic valve replacement
• Mitral valve surgery
• Aortic surgery
• TAVR
• Ventricular assist devices
• Heart transplantation
• Complex repeat cardiac surgery

Most importantly, patients can investigate procedure-specific outcomes rather than relying only on reputation.

Cleveland Clinic currently reports the highest three-star Society of Thoracic Surgeons rating for CABG, aortic valve replacement, AVR plus CABG, mitral valve repair/replacement, mitral surgery plus CABG, and multiprocedural cardiac surgery for the July 2022–June 2025 reporting period. It also reports a three-star TAVR rating for the applicable STS/ACC registry period.

The hospital also publishes cardiac-surgery data covering January through May 2026, providing patients with unusually current information.

Best for: Complex heart surgery, CABG, valve disease, aortic procedures, TAVR and patients who prioritize publicly available outcomes.

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic operates major cardiovascular programs in Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida.

Its multidisciplinary model can be especially valuable for patients whose heart disease overlaps with other medical conditions.

A complicated patient may require:

Cardiologist + cardiac surgeon + imaging specialist + anesthesiologist + electrophysiologist + critical-care specialist.

Instead of treating each problem independently, a multidisciplinary center can coordinate the overall treatment strategy.

Mayo’s cardiovascular surgery program includes complex cardiac procedures and minimally invasive approaches for appropriately selected patients.

Best for: Complex diagnoses, second opinions, multidisciplinary cardiac treatment and minimally invasive cardiovascular surgery.

NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian provides cardiac surgery through major academic programs associated with Columbia and Weill Cornell Medicine.

Large academic heart centers can be particularly useful when a case requires multiple specialties.

Services can involve areas such as:

Coronary surgery + valve treatment + aortic disease + structural heart care + advanced heart failure + transplantation.

Patients considering an academic center should investigate the individual surgeon and specific cardiac program rather than assuming every procedure has identical outcomes.

Best for: Patients seeking advanced academic cardiac care in New York and complex multidisciplinary treatment.

Cedars-Sinai

Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles offers a broad heart program encompassing cardiovascular surgery, structural heart disease, advanced heart failure and transplantation.

One advantage of a comprehensive heart center is the ability to evaluate both surgical and catheter-based treatment options.

For example, a patient with severe aortic stenosis might be evaluated for:

Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR)

or

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

The appropriate choice depends on age, anatomy, surgical risk, valve characteristics and other medical considerations.

Best for: Complex heart disease, advanced heart failure and patients seeking comprehensive cardiac treatment on the West Coast.

Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai Heart is another major New York cardiovascular program.

It is particularly relevant to patients investigating valve disease and structural-heart procedures.

Modern cardiac treatment increasingly requires cooperation between surgeons and interventional cardiologists.

A patient may no longer be deciding simply whether to “have heart surgery.”

The decision may instead be between:

Open surgery vs minimally invasive surgery vs catheter-based intervention.

A comprehensive heart team can evaluate those options together.

Best for: Heart-valve disease, structural-heart procedures and complex cardiovascular care.

Best Hospitals for CABG Bypass Surgery

Coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG, is performed to restore blood flow around significantly narrowed or blocked coronary arteries.

A healthy blood vessel is used to create another route for blood to reach the heart muscle.

CABG may be considered in selected patients with severe coronary artery disease, including certain cases involving multiple vessels or complex anatomy.

When comparing CABG hospitals, investigate:

• Surgeon experience
• Procedure volume
• Operative mortality
• Complication rates
• Readmissions
• Infection rates
• STS ratings
• Rehabilitation program

Cleveland Clinic currently holds the highest STS three-star CABG rating for the July 2022–June 2025 reporting period.

That type of procedure-specific quality information is more useful than choosing a hospital solely because it appears on a general ranking.

Best Hospitals for Heart Valve Surgery

Valve disease can involve the:

Aortic valve + mitral valve + tricuspid valve + pulmonary valve.

Depending on the condition, treatment might involve valve repair or replacement.

Valve Repair

The surgeon preserves and reconstructs the patient’s existing valve when clinically appropriate.

Valve Replacement

The diseased valve is replaced using a mechanical or biological prosthetic valve.

Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery

Selected patients may qualify for surgery through smaller incisions.

Transcatheter Valve Procedures

Some patients can receive catheter-based treatment without conventional open-heart surgery.

This is why patients with complex valve disease may benefit from a center offering both experienced cardiac surgeons and structural-heart specialists.

TAVR vs Open-Heart Valve Replacement

TAVR has changed treatment for aortic stenosis.

During transcatheter aortic valve replacement, physicians implant a replacement valve using a catheter rather than performing conventional open-heart valve replacement.

But TAVR is not automatically superior to surgery.

Doctors consider:

Age + anatomy + surgical risk + valve characteristics + previous procedures + overall health + long-term considerations.

The strongest hospital may therefore be one capable of offering both options and objectively determining which approach fits the patient.

Cleveland Clinic currently reports the highest three-star STS/ACC TAVR rating for its applicable public-reporting period.

Robotic and Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery

One of the most commercially searched areas of cardiac treatment is minimally invasive surgery.

Selected operations can sometimes be performed through smaller incisions rather than a traditional sternotomy.

Potential applications include certain:

• Mitral valve repairs
• Aortic valve procedures
• Coronary procedures
• Congenital repairs

Some procedures may also use robotic assistance.

However, the phrase “minimally invasive” does not automatically mean lower risk or better results.

Complex anatomy or previous surgery may make conventional open surgery more appropriate.

Patients should ask how frequently the surgeon performs the exact minimally invasive procedure being considered.

Best Hospitals for Heart Transplantation

Heart transplantation is a completely different level of cardiovascular care.

It may be considered for selected patients with end-stage heart failure when other therapies are insufficient.

A transplant program requires much more than a cardiac surgeon.

Treatment can involve:

Advanced heart-failure specialists → transplant evaluation → donor matching → transplant surgery → ICU → immunosuppressive medication → rehabilitation → lifelong follow-up.

Some patients may require a ventricular assist device while waiting for transplantation.

When comparing transplant hospitals, patients should investigate:

• Program volume
• Waiting-list information
• Patient selection
• Survival outcomes
• Mechanical circulatory support
• Multiorgan capabilities
• Post-transplant care

For advanced heart failure, transplant-program data should be evaluated separately from general cardiac-surgery rankings.

How Much Does Heart Surgery Cost in the USA?

There is no single national price for heart surgery.

The final cost depends on:

Cost Factor	Why It Matters
Procedure	CABG, valve surgery and transplant differ greatly
Hospital	Contracted prices vary
Surgeon	Professional fees may differ
Insurance	Negotiated rates affect covered costs
ICU stay	Longer stays can raise costs
Medical devices	Valves and support devices add expense
Complications	Additional treatment can substantially increase cost
Rehabilitation	Recovery may continue after discharge

A particularly important distinction is:

Hospital gross charge ≠ insurer-negotiated price ≠ patient out-of-pocket cost.

Those numbers should not be treated as interchangeable.

Hospital Price Transparency in 2026

Patients have more pricing information available than in the past.

CMS requires most U.S. hospitals subject to federal price-transparency rules to publish standard charges, including gross charges, discounted cash prices, payer-specific negotiated charges, and de-identified minimum and maximum negotiated charges.

The requirements became stronger in 2026.

When certain payer-specific negotiated charges are calculated using percentages or algorithms, hospitals must report median, 10th-percentile and 90th-percentile allowed amounts, along with the number of allowed amounts used. The updated requirements became effective January 1, 2026, with enforcement of the new provisions beginning April 1.

For planned heart surgery, patients can use hospital pricing information alongside an individualized estimate from their insurer.

Health Insurance for Heart Surgery

Insurance coverage can dramatically change the patient’s financial responsibility.

Before a scheduled cardiac procedure, verify:

Hospital Network

Is the hospital in-network?

Surgeon Network

Is the cardiac surgeon participating in the plan?

Prior Authorization

Does the insurer require approval before surgery?

Deductible

How much of the applicable deductible remains?

Coinsurance

What percentage of covered costs might the patient owe after the deductible?

Out-of-Pocket Maximum

How much qualifying in-network cost sharing remains for the year?

Patients should obtain information directly from their insurer because coverage can vary even among plans from the same insurance company.

Heart Surgery Without Insurance

Self-pay patients should investigate pricing before a scheduled procedure whenever possible.

Ask the hospital for:

Discounted cash price + written estimate + financial-assistance information + payment-plan options.

CMS requires applicable hospitals to publish discounted cash prices as part of their standard-charge information.

For major cardiac surgery, however, a pre-treatment estimate may not perfectly predict the final bill because complications or additional ICU days can change the total cost.

Medicare and Heart Surgery Costs

Medicare is particularly relevant to cardiovascular care because many heart-surgery patients are older adults.

For 2026, the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period.

For covered inpatient hospitalization, CMS lists daily coinsurance of $434 for days 61–90 and $868 for each lifetime reserve day.

Coverage for an individual heart procedure still depends on Medicare requirements and the services involved.

Patients with Medicare Advantage should also verify their plan’s hospital network, authorization requirements and cost-sharing rules.

Cardiac Rehabilitation After Heart Surgery

Recovery does not necessarily end at hospital discharge.

Cardiac rehabilitation can include:

Supervised exercise + cardiovascular education + nutrition support + medication management + risk-factor reduction.

This should be considered when comparing hospitals, especially if the patient is traveling to another state for surgery.

Ask where follow-up care will occur and whether the insurance plan covers the recommended rehabilitation program.

How to Choose the Best Heart Surgery Hospital

Use a procedure-specific checklist rather than simply choosing the most famous hospital.

Ask:

1. How often does the surgeon perform my exact operation?
2. What are the hospital’s risk-adjusted outcomes?
3. Does the program publish STS results?
4. What are the complication and mortality rates?
5. Are minimally invasive options appropriate?
6. Is TAVR or another catheter-based procedure an option?
7. Is the hospital in-network?
8. Is prior authorization required?
9. What is the insurer-negotiated estimate?
10. What rehabilitation and follow-up care will I need?

For especially complex cases, a second opinion from another major cardiovascular center can also be useful.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of the best heart surgery hospitals in the USA?

Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, NewYork-Presbyterian, Cedars-Sinai and Mount Sinai are major cardiovascular centers worth investigating. The right choice depends on the specific procedure and patient’s medical circumstances.

Which hospital has strong CABG outcome reporting?

Cleveland Clinic currently reports the highest three-star STS rating for CABG for the July 2022–June 2025 reporting period.

Which hospital is best for valve replacement?

There is no universal winner. Patients should compare procedure-specific outcomes, surgeon experience and whether the center offers both surgical and transcatheter treatment.

Is TAVR better than open-heart surgery?

Not for every patient. Age, anatomy, valve characteristics, surgical risk and other medical factors influence the choice.

How much does heart surgery cost with insurance?

There is no universal amount. Patient responsibility can depend on the insurer-negotiated rate, deductible, copayment, coinsurance, network status and applicable out-of-pocket maximum.

Does Medicare cover heart surgery?

Medicare can cover eligible medically necessary cardiovascular care under applicable rules, but patients may still have deductibles, coinsurance and other costs. The 2026 Part A inpatient deductible is $1,736 per benefit period.

Can I compare heart surgery prices between hospitals?

CMS requires applicable hospitals to publicly disclose standard-charge information, including payer-specific negotiated charges and discounted cash prices.

Conclusion

The best heart surgery hospitals in the USA should be compared according to the treatment a patient actually needs—not simply overall hospital reputation.

Cleveland Clinic offers particularly strong publicly reported cardiac-surgery outcomes, including the highest STS three-star rating across multiple major surgical categories for the applicable reporting periods.

Mayo Clinic offers extensive multidisciplinary cardiovascular care, while NewYork-Presbyterian, Cedars-Sinai and Mount Sinai provide major programs for advanced cardiac and structural-heart treatment.

For patients considering CABG, bypass surgery, valve replacement, TAVR, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, aortic surgery or heart transplantation, the decision should combine clinical and financial factors.

The most useful comparison is:

Procedure expertise + surgeon experience + outcomes + hospital network + negotiated price + deductible + coinsurance + out-of-pocket exposure + rehabilitation.

The 2026 expansion of hospital price-transparency requirements gives patients additional information for comparing costs, but personalized estimates from the hospital and insurer remain important.

Ultimately, the best cardiac center is the one that offers the appropriate expertise and treatment options for the individual patient’s condition while fitting their insurance and financial circumstances.

This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical, insurance or financial advice. Treatment recommendations, hospital outcomes, prices and insurance networks can change. Patients should consult qualified cardiovascular specialists and their insurer.