Emergency department visit (level 1) Cost

Emergency department visit (level 1) is a clinic or emergency-department visit. Prices are from 2300 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$208median cash price · 2300 hospitals, 52 statestypically $79–$603 depending on the hospital

≈ 18.9× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$372

Cash / self-pay

$208

Insurer-negotiated

$147

Medicare pays

$11

$79$603

Median cash $208 · Medicare $11 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $208 — about 18.9× the Medicare rate ($11). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($22).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $372 list price could save about $164 (44%).

Estimate what you’ll pay

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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

Lowest cash prices

See negotiated rates for your insurer:

Hospital	Location	Cash	Insurer	CMS rating	ER wait	Readmit
Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital	Elkin, NC	$32	$59	★ 3/5	171 min	15.1%
Memorial Healthcare	Owosso, MI	$32	$84	★ 3/5	189 min	14.9%
Copley Hospital	Morrisville, VT	$32	$37	★ 2/5	136 min	14.9%
Smith County Emergency Hospital	Raleigh, MS	$32	$60	—	—	—
Covington County Hospital CAH	Collins, MS	$32	$60	—	72 min	14.8%
Ellis Hospital	Schenectady, NY	$33	$23	★ 3/5	232 min	14.9%
Coosa Valley Medical Center	Sylacauga, AL	$33	$82	★ 3/5	122 min	15.1%
Twin City Medical Center	Dennison, OH	$33	$57	—	—	15.0%
Arbuckle Memorial Hospital	Sulphur, OK	$34	$34	★ 4/5	118 min	14.0%
Williamson Memorial Inc	Williamson, WV	$34	$14	—	—	—
Maimonides Medical Center	Brooklyn, NY	$35	—	★ 2/5	206 min	17.2%
Mercyone Elkader Medical Center	Elkader, IA	$35	$363	—	102 min	15.5%
Bristol Hospital	Bristol, CT	$35	$211	★ 2/5	194 min	16.0%
Slidell Memorial Hospital	Slidell, LA	$36	$81	★ 2/5	203 min	16.0%
Russellville Hospital	Russellville, AL	$37	$99	★ 4/5	103 min	16.3%
Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association Inc	Ekalaka, MT	$39	$129	—	121 min	14.6%
Citizens Medical Center	Columbia, LA	$39	$68	★ 3/5	123 min	15.6%
St Luke Community Hospital	Ronan, MT	$40	$59	—	110 min	15.1%
Bleckley Memorial Hospital	Cochran, GA	$40	$56	—	125 min	14.9%
Cape Coral Hospital	Cape Coral, FL	$40	$258	★ 3/5	219 min	15.6%
Elbert Memorial Hospital	Elberton, GA	$40	$88	—	120 min	15.0%
Bassett Healthcare	Cooperstown, NY	$40	$35	★ 2/5	199 min	15.6%
Mercy Hospital Stoddard	Dexter, MO	$41	$78	★ 2/5	176 min	14.7%
Edward W Sparrow Hospital	Lansing, MI	$41	$90	★ 3/5	301 min	13.6%
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston	Galveston, TX	$42	$116	★ 3/5	191 min	16.0%

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.

What insurers pay for Emergency department visit (level 1)

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $208; Medicare pays $11.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
Univera	15	$11 $9 – $160
Independent Health	36	$23 $8 – $233
Medicaid	338	$49 $9 – $226
Medicare	568	$82 $11 – $119
Highmark	132	$87 $14 – $303
Devoted Health	173	$87 $49 – $103
Centene / Ambetter	776	$87 $12 – $225
Geisinger	55	$90 $11 – $473
Tricare / VA	418	$90 $11 – $456
Humana	1051	$90 $12 – $527
AmeriHealth	237	$91 $16 – $821
UPMC Health Plan	98	$92 $20 – $365
Molina Healthcare	561	$94 $11 – $403
Priority Health	60	$106 $32 – $356
UCare	69	$109 $18 – $264
Anthem	569	$112 $19 – $618
Harvard Pilgrim	46	$116 $17 – $774
Amerigroup	163	$125 $18 – $363
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	152	$142 $80 – $619
Medica	234	$143 $35 – $400
Blue Cross Blue Shield	1299	$149 $24 – $806
MVP Health Care	79	$151 $19 – $1,617
Oscar Health	230	$155 $21 – $584
Kaiser Permanente	239	$157 $33 – $555
Bright Health	62	$157 $95 – $463
UnitedHealthcare	1531	$159 $22 – $1,161
Aetna	1419	$174 $29 – $863
HealthPartners	267	$179 $42 – $434
Sanford Health Plan	72	$194 $55 – $308
SelectHealth	50	$195 $44 – $706
Security Health Plan	60	$201 $82 – $388
Health Net	325	$206 $44 – $721
Coventry	158	$223 $38 – $895
Cigna	1196	$289 $56 – $1,132
Healthcare Highways	52	$313 $98 – $602
MultiPlan / PHCS network	888	$336 $107 – $1,229
EmblemHealth	61	$345 $68 – $1,847
AvMed	62	$504 $118 – $3,816

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

State	Median cash
Kentucky	$72
Mississippi	$101
Tennessee	$101
Maryland	$124
Iowa	$133
Louisiana	$134

Prices by city

Prices by state

Doctors who perform this

Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.

Clinician	Specialty	Location	Medicare services
Louis Chang, MD	Neurosurgery	Bethesda, MD	46
Steven Cohen, PA	Physician Assistant	Bethesda, MD	46
Althea Rutherford, PA	Physician Assistant	Durham, NC	39
Amy Uthup	Physician Assistant	Commack, NY	38
Shala Sadiq	Physician Assistant	Flushing, NY	36
Jacob Zuares, PA	Physician Assistant	Bethesda, MD	33
Nicholas Roth, PA-C	Physician Assistant	Massapequa Park, NY	30
Xavier Lennon, PA-C	Physician Assistant	Bethesda, MD	28
Thomas D'angelo	Psychiatry	Durham, NC	28
William Daniel, M.D.	Emergency Medicine	Little Rock, AR	27
Marvin Rainwater, PA	Physician Assistant	Shreveport, LA	27
Douglas Valenta, MD	Neurology	Honolulu, HI	25

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Emergency department visit (level 1)?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Emergency department visit (level 1). It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $11. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $2 — unless a Medicare Advantage or supplemental (Medigap) plan covers it.

General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 2300 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $208, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $372, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $147, a Medicare rate of about $11. Most cash prices fall between $79 and $603 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Emergency department visit (level 1) cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 2300 US hospitals is $208. Most hospitals fall between $79 and $603. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

Does Medicare cover Emergency department visit (level 1)?

Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part B as an outpatient service (Medicare-approved amount about $11). After your Part B deductible you typically owe 20% coinsurance, unless a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan covers it.

What does Medicare pay for Emergency department visit (level 1)?

Medicare pays about $11. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do Emergency department visit (level 1) prices vary between hospitals?

Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.

Is the cash price lower than using insurance?

Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

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