Prices at 6 hospitals in Saint Louis, MO, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $811 — 97% above the US median ($411), roughly 4.7× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital South | Saint Louis, MO | $623 | $371 | ★ 2/5 | 254 min | — |
| St Louis Childrens Hospital | Saint Louis, MO | $626 | $374 | — | — | — |
| Mercy Hospital St Louis | Saint Louis, MO | $669 | $371 | ★ 4/5 | 220 min | — |
| Christian Hospital Northeast | Saint Louis, MO | $953 | $575 | ★ 4/5 | 217 min | — |
| Missouri Baptist Medical Center | Saint Louis, MO | $1,027 | $1,696 | ★ 5/5 | 262 min | — |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children | Saint Louis, MO | $1,418 | $110 | — | — | — |
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. Data last updated September 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $811 — about 4.7× the Medicare rate ($174). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($349).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,231 list price could save about $420 (34%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All Abscess incision and drainage prices in Missouri → · All Abscess incision and drainage prices (national) · All hospitals in Saint Louis