Prices at 3 hospitals in San Diego, CA, from their machine-readable files.
Cash / self-pay (median)
$148
Chargemaster (median)
$284
Insurer-negotiated (median)
$17
Medicare pays
$7
$99$155
Median cash $148 · Medicare $7 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Typical cash range: $99 – $155. The median cash price is about 21.4× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps Mercy Hospital | San Diego, CA | $86 | $17 | ★ 4/5 | 193 min | 15.3% |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital – San Diego | San Diego, CA | $148 | $6 | ★ 4/5 | — | 13.7% |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital | San Diego, CA | $157 | $64 | ★ 4/5 | 197 min | 15.4% |
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.