Prices at 3 hospitals in Seattle, WA, from their machine-readable files.
Cash / self-pay (median)
$47
Chargemaster (median)
$78
Insurer-negotiated (median)
$21
Medicare pays
$10
$25$59
Median cash $47 · Medicare $10 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Typical cash range: $25 – $59. The median cash price is about 4.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navos – Inpatient Services | Seattle, WA | $19 | $21 | — | — | — |
| Virginia Mason Medical Center | Seattle, WA | $47 | $34 | ★ 5/5 | 217 min | 15.3% |
| Kaiser Permanente Central Hospital | Seattle, WA | $62 | $19 | — | — | — |
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. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.