Prices at 4 hospitals in San Diego, CA, from their machine-readable files.
Cash / self-pay (median)
$142
Chargemaster (median)
$189
Insurer-negotiated (median)
$60
Medicare pays
$12
$56$166
Median cash $142 · Medicare $12 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Typical cash range: $56 – $166. The median cash price is about 12.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps Mercy Hospital | San Diego, CA | $20 | $13 | ★ 4/5 | 193 min | 15.3% |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital | San Diego, CA | $142 | $116 | ★ 4/5 | 197 min | 15.4% |
| Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital | San Diego, CA | $142 | $107 | — | — | — |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital – San Diego | San Diego, CA | $176 | $10 | ★ 4/5 | — | 13.7% |
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.