Emergency department visit Cost by Hospital

Emergency department visit is a clinic or emergency-department visit. Prices are from 2250 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$579median cash price · 2250 hospitals, 52 statestypically $205–$1,784 depending on the hospital
≈ 8.3× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$1,022
Cash / self-pay
$579
Insurer-negotiated
$433
Medicare pays
$69
$205$1,784
Median cash $579  ·  Medicare $69  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $579 — about 8.3× the Medicare rate ($69). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($139).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,022 list price could save about $442 (43%).

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

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Grove Hill Memorial Hospital Grove Hill, AL $87 $260 — 162 min —
O'connor Hospital Delhi, NY $88 $151 — 88 min 14.7%
Little Falls Hospital Little Falls, NY $88 $104 ★ 2/5 110 min 15.7%
Cobleskill Regional Hospital Cobleskill, NY $88 $162 ★ 4/5 109 min 14.6%
Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital Shelbyville, TN $90 $109 ★ 4/5 123 min 13.6%
Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital Tullahoma, TN $90 $109 ★ 3/5 173 min 15.1%
Reeves Memorial Medical Center Bernice, LA $92 $155 — 121 min 14.9%
Jefferson Regional Medical Center Pine Bluff, AR $95 $257 ★ 1/5 200 min 15.3%
Greene County Medical Center Jefferson, IA $96 $86 — 109 min 15.0%
Gillette Childrens Specialty Hospital Saint Paul, MN $97 $106 — — —
Ellis Hospital Schenectady, NY $98 $116 ★ 3/5 232 min 14.9%
Humboldt County Memorial Hospital Humboldt, IA $99 $88 — 96 min 14.8%
Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital Nacogdoches, TX $101 $275 ★ 2/5 178 min 15.4%
Cherokee Regional Medical Center Cherokee, IA $104 $56 ★ 2/5 132 min 14.8%
Bleckley Memorial Hospital Cochran, GA $105 $177 — 125 min 14.9%
Bassett Healthcare Cooperstown, NY $108 $140 ★ 2/5 199 min 15.6%
Punxsutawney Area Hospital Punxsutawney, PA $109 $126 ★ 2/5 136 min 15.5%
Ochsner Medical Center-Hancock Bay Saint Louis, MS $114 $253 ★ 3/5 149 min 16.1%
Hospital General De Castaner Castaner, PR $116 $95 — — —
Pocahontas Memorial Hospital Buckeye, WV $117 $350 — 103 min 14.9%
Casey County Hospital Liberty, KY $119 — ★ 3/5 100 min 15.2%
Slidell Memorial Hospital Slidell, LA $119 $253 ★ 2/5 203 min 16.0%
Unity Health-Jacksonville Jacksonville, AR $120 — — 130 min 15.2%
Unity Health-Newport Newport, AR $120 — — 104 min 15.4%
Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Monroe, LA $121 $281 ★ 3/5 155 min 15.2%

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 June 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

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: $579; Medicare pays $69.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
Medicaid 364
$86
$20 – $367
Univera 15
$87
$11 – $239
Medicare 600
$127
$37 – $574
Independent Health 40
$148
$23 – $726
Geisinger 72
$163
$48 – $1,013
Centene / Ambetter 804
$184
$40 – $754
AmeriHealth 232
$185
$42 – $1,474
Tricare / VA 428
$188
$40 – $1,523
Highmark 143
$191
$37 – $962
Molina Healthcare 553
$193
$41 – $800
UPMC Health Plan 93
$211
$45 – $998
Devoted Health 160
$274
$84 – $657
Humana 1068
$281
$64 – $1,437
Priority Health 62
$297
$62 – $1,462
UCare 82
$302
$83 – $1,085
Anthem 557
$303
$43 – $2,070
Amerigroup 171
$329
$58 – $622
MVP Health Care 87
$334
$49 – $2,046
Harvard Pilgrim 53
$348
$73 – $1,886
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 158
$381
$108 – $1,824
Blue Cross Blue Shield 1330
$385
$54 – $2,147
HealthPartners 292
$395
$72 – $1,457
Sanford Health Plan 84
$422
$111 – $1,044
Medica 250
$428
$93 – $1,535
UnitedHealthcare 1544
$433
$56 – $2,326
Kaiser Permanente 253
$451
$75 – $2,463
Oscar Health 229
$453
$88 – $1,736
Security Health Plan 63
$454
$109 – $1,327
Aetna 1434
$464
$77 – $2,315
Bright Health 67
$555
$122 – $2,548
Health Net 344
$558
$76 – $3,470
SelectHealth 57
$579
$115 – $1,892
Coventry 162
$592
$98 – $2,183
Cigna 1200
$700
$111 – $3,607
EmblemHealth 65
$726
$104 – $3,292
Healthcare Highways 52
$790
$215 – $3,406
MultiPlan / PHCS network 873
$792
$167 – $3,357
AvMed 64
$1,202
$273 – $5,653

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

StateMedian cash
Mississippi$190
Maryland$250
Puerto Rico$250
Iowa$258
Maine$276
Tennessee$281

Prices by city

Chicago, ILPhiladelphia, PAAustin, TXDallas, TXHouston, TXBaltimore, MDKansas City, MOMilwaukee, WIOklahoma City, OKCharlotte, NCFort Worth, TXLos Angeles, CANashville, TNSacramento, CABirmingham, ALBoston, MACincinnati, OHEl Paso, TXLittle Rock, ARNew York, NYRochester, NYSaint Louis, MOSan Antonio, TXSan Diego, CA

Prices by state

TexasCaliforniaOhioWisconsinIllinoisPennsylvaniaNew YorkMinnesotaFloridaNorth CarolinaMichiganGeorgiaLouisianaTennesseeMissouriIowaArkansasNebraskaOklahomaColoradoVirginiaSouth DakotaKansasIndianaKentuckyWashingtonMarylandMassachusettsNew JerseyArizonaWest VirginiaMississippiMaineAlabamaSouth CarolinaMontanaNorth DakotaOregonIdahoUtahNew HampshireConnecticutNevadaNew MexicoPuerto RicoWyomingHawaiiVermontRhode IslandAlaskaDelawareWashington DC

About these prices

Based on prices published by 2250 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $579, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $1,022, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $433, a Medicare rate of about $69. Most cash prices fall between $205 and $1,784 — 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 cost without insurance?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 2250 US hospitals is $579. Most hospitals fall between $205 and $1,784. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
What does Medicare pay for Emergency department visit?
Medicare pays about $69. 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 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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