Prices at 3 hospitals in Washington DC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $181 — 95% above the US median ($93), roughly 21.4× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard University Hospital Corp | Washington, DC | $164 | $147 | ★ 1/5 | 232 min | 14.9% |
| Medstar Washington Hospital Center | Washington, DC | $181 | $81 | ★ 3/5 | 400 min | 14.4% |
| Medstar Georgetown University Hospital | Washington, DC | $220 | $94 | ★ 3/5 | 371 min | 14.7% |
CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated August 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $181 — about 21.4× the Medicare rate ($8). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($17).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $279 list price could save about $98 (35%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
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