Prices at 4 hospitals in Montana, from their machine-readable files.
Cash / self-pay (median)
$1,713
Chargemaster (median)
$2,391
Insurer-negotiated (median)
$1,027
Medicare pays
$822
$1,319$2,106
Median cash $1,713 · Medicare $822 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Typical cash range: $1,319 – $2,106. The median cash price is about 2.1× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Peters Health | Helena, MT | $1,221 | $1,221 | ★ 3/5 | 178 min | 14.3% |
| Sidney Health Center | Sidney, MT | $2,205 | $2,310 | ★ 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.