US Health Care Costs

Emergency room visit, level 1 (minor)

CPT 99281 · Doctor and ER visits · hospital facility charge

At the 123 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $383, and most charge between $112 and $749 (the middle 80%; price files contain errors, so the extremes are left out). Pick a state to compare its hospitals.

Estimate what you would pay

$383typical cash price
$324typical commercial insurer rate
$670typical list price
123hospitals in 32 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWIVTNHWA$279ID$383MTNDMN$48IL$305MI$116NY$550MA$397OR$493NV$2.0kWYSDIA$406IN$84OH$303PA$400NJ$111CT$614RICA$389UT$686CONE$85MO$280KY$214WVVA$130MD$144DE$431AZ$437NMKSARTN$178NC$335SC$341DCOK$411LAMSAL$203GA$273HITX$551FL$528PR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$203$203$203$259
Arizona2$437$124$750$136
California9$389$210$3,526$350
Connecticut1$614$614$614$526
Delaware1$431$431$431$392
Florida8$528$190$2,606$606
Georgia6$273$224$605$387
Iowa1$406$406$406$215
Idaho2$383$383$383$306
Illinois6$305$188$450$283
Indiana2$84$68$100$218
Kentucky2$214$75$354$163
Massachusetts2$397$209$586$393
Maryland1$144$144$144–
Michigan3$116$116$270$143
Minnesota1$48$48$48$156
Missouri4$280$139$340$330
North Carolina4$335$252$335$350
Nebraska1$85$85$85$381
New Jersey8$111$97$218$486
Nevada1$2,030$2,030$2,030$529
New York1$550$550$550$96
Ohio7$303$35$627$185
Oklahoma3$411$306$535$321
Oregon1$493$493$493$409
Pennsylvania8$400$95$1,126$285
South Carolina4$341$252$970$104
Tennessee2$178$178$178$365
Texas21$551$159$1,107$378
Utah2$686$553$818$704
Virginia6$130$130$1,166$267
Washington2$279$273$284$258
123 hospitals so far: only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed, and more are added every night. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does emergency room visit, level 1 (minor) cost at a hospital?

At 121 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for emergency room visit, level 1 (minor) is $383, and most charge between $112 and $749. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $324. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for emergency room visit, level 1 (minor)?

At 45 of the 99 hospitals that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.

Does the price include the doctor?

No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.

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