Prices at 4 hospitals in Montana, from their machine-readable files.
Cash / self-pay (median)
$1,297
Chargemaster (median)
$2,930
Insurer-negotiated (median)
$994
Medicare pays
$968
$548$2,047
Median cash $1,297 · Medicare $968 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Typical cash range: $548 – $2,047. The median cash price is about 1.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Peters Health | Helena, MT | $360 | $420 | ★ 3/5 | 178 min | 14.3% |
| Sidney Health Center | Sidney, MT | $2,235 | $3,429 | ★ 3/5 | 152 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. 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.