US Health Care Costs

Hospital observation care, per hour

HCPCS G0378 · Doctor and ER visits · hospital facility charge

At the 118 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $107, and most charge between $41 and $344 (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

$107typical cash price
$116typical commercial insurer rate
$163typical list price
118hospitals in 32 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWIVTNHWA$109ID$204MTNDMN$46IL$105MI$327NY$65MA$176OR$28NV$319WYSDIA$89IN$267OH$641PA$123NJ$467CT$108RICA$171UT$117CONE$135MO$76KY$42WVVA$49MD$68DE$71AZ$169NMKSARTN$370NC$2SC$41DCOK$42LAMSAL$218GA$40HITX$131FL$107PR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$218$218$218$142
Arizona2$169$116$223$124
California7$171$143$642$299
Connecticut1$108$108$108$10,063
Delaware1$71$71$71–
Florida7$107$47$275$100
Georgia6$40$2$100$58
Iowa1$89$89$89$48
Idaho2$204$204$204$163
Illinois5$105$67$118$105
Indiana2$267$38$496$775
Kentucky2$42$1$83$1
Massachusetts3$176$100$176$164
Maryland1$68$68$68–
Michigan3$327$327$327$104
Minnesota1$46$46$46$120
Missouri4$76$58$251$118
North Carolina4$2$2$42$26
Nebraska1$135$135$135$320
New Jersey8$467$338$1,141$3,273
Nevada1$319$319$319$10
New York1$65$65$65$77
Ohio7$641$48$1,583$130
Oklahoma3$42$41$100$62
Oregon1$28$28$28$31
Pennsylvania7$123$84$287$210
South Carolina4$41$31$139$70
Tennessee1$370$370$370$3,601
Texas21$131$17$323$87
Utah2$117$104$130$122
Virginia6$49$49$337$142
Washington2$109$93$125–
118 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 hospital observation care, per hour cost at a hospital?

At 109 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for hospital observation care, per hour is $107, and most charge between $41 and $344. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $116. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for hospital observation care, per hour?

At 29 of the 68 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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