Cost of a Heart Doctor Visit
in Iowa
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Iowa's predominantly rural healthcare landscape concentrates cardiac specialty care around Des Moines and Iowa City, with 22 active Heart Doctor providers serving the entire Hawkeye State. Patients typically pay between $80 and $274 for cardiac specialist visits, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $206, placing Iowa 47th out of 50 states for affordability. Despite the state's extensive rural geography, Iowans can browse all Heart Doctor providers statewide to find accessible and affordable cardiac care options.
Average
$187
Median
$206
Lowest
$80
Highest
$274
Providers
22
43% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does cardiologist visit compare to related procedures in Iowa?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Visit Standard office visit with a family medicine physician | 99214 | $80 | $167 | $314 | 162 |
| Internal Medicine Visit Standard office visit with an internist | 99214 | $80 | $141 | $274 | 89 |
Important: These are cost estimates only — not a quote and not medical advice.
The prices on this page are self-pay rates, drawn from federal Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (CPT 99214 — Office/outpatient visit, established patient, moderate complexity). They represent what a patient might pay without insurance.
Your actual cost depends on: your specific insurance plan, your remaining deductible, your coinsurance percentage, whether you have met your out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility and provider are both in-network, and any separate anesthesia or implant fees billed independently.
This page does not constitute medical advice. Whether you need this procedure, and which approach is right for you, is a decision to make with a licensed healthcare provider.
Where this data comes from & what CPT 99214 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 99214 (Office/outpatient visit, established patient, moderate complexity), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 99214 covers: the provider's professional fee for cardiologist visit. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.
How to read this data
Negotiated Rate
The discounted price an insurer has agreed to pay a specific provider. Most insured patients' bills are calculated from this number, not the higher list price hospitals publish separately.
P5, Median, P95
P5 is the rate at the 5th percentile (low end), Median is the middle value, and P95 is the 95th percentile (high end). This range shows how much the same visit can vary between providers.
What this does not tell you
These rates do not tell you what you personally will pay out of pocket. That depends on your specific plan, how much of your deductible you have already met, your coinsurance rate, and whether the provider is in your network. Call your insurer's member line to get your exact estimate.
Top Rated Cardiologists in Iowa
Dr. Randolph Rough, MD
Cardiovascular Disease Physician · West Des Moines, IA
Dr. Jerome Pierson, MD
Cardiovascular Disease Physician · Sioux City, IA
Dr. Byron Beasley, MD
Cardiovascular Disease Physician · Mason City, IA
Dr. Terrence Slattery, MD
Cardiovascular Disease Physician · Council Bluffs, IA
Dr. Robert Armbruster, MD
Cardiovascular Disease Physician · Council Bluffs, IA
Why Heart Doctor Visit Costs Vary Across Iowa
Iowa's Heart Doctor visit costs run approximately 9% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and limited urban healthcare competition. The concentration of cardiac specialists around Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City creates significant access disparities for rural residents who may travel over an hour for specialty care.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Iowa's 22 Heart Doctor providers cluster primarily in the Des Moines metro area and around University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, leaving vast rural regions underserved. Patients in northwestern or southeastern Iowa may face 100+ mile drives to reach cardiac specialists, often increasing overall care costs through travel expenses. This geographic imbalance drives some rural residents to seek care in neighboring states like Minnesota or Nebraska.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
UnityPoint Health and University of Iowa Health Care dominate Iowa's cardiac care landscape through hospital-based specialty clinics that typically charge higher facility fees. Independent cardiology practices in smaller cities like Waterloo or Council Bluffs often offer lower base rates but may have limited diagnostic capabilities. The overhead differences between academic medical centers and community practices directly impact patient costs.
Insurance Market Competition in Iowa
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield maintains near-monopoly status in Iowa's individual insurance market, limiting competitive pressure on negotiated rates with Heart Doctor providers. UnitedHealthcare and Aetna primarily serve employer groups and Medicare Advantage members, creating a relatively concentrated market. This limited insurer competition contributes to higher specialist visit costs compared to states with more competitive insurance markets.
Physician Supply and Demand in Iowa
With only 22 active Heart Doctor providers serving Iowa's 3.2 million residents, the state faces a cardiac specialist shortage that drives up both costs and wait times. The physician-to-population ratio falls well below national averages, particularly affecting rural areas where patients may wait weeks for appointments. Medical school graduates often leave Iowa for higher-paying opportunities in larger metropolitan areas, perpetuating the specialist shortage.
Cost by Procedure Type
Cardiologist Visit can be billed under different CPT codes depending on what's done during the procedure in Iowa.
Follow-up, low complexity
Follow-up, moderate complexity
Follow-up, high complexity
New patient, low complexity
New patient, moderate complexity
New patient, high complexity
Costs shown are median negotiated rates. Your actual cost depends on your insurance plan and provider.
Jayant Panwar
CEO, Momentary Labs · San Francisco, CA
Jayant has analyzed healthcare pricing data from CMS Transparency in Coverage files since 2022, covering more than 50 million negotiated rate records across all 50 states. His work focuses on making insurer machine-readable files accessible to patients and researchers.
The cost figures on this page reflect his ongoing work to make this data accessible to patients.
Frequently Asked Questions — Heart Doctor Costs in Iowa
What is the average cost of a Heart Doctor visit in Iowa without insurance?
Does Iowa Medicaid cover Heart Doctor visits?
How do I find an affordable Heart Doctor near me in Iowa?
What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?
Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for a Heart Doctor visit in Iowa?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Heart Doctor in Iowa?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 99214)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine Range: $114 – $255 | $208 |
| 2 | Iowa Range: $80 – $274 | $187 |
| 3 | Indiana Range: $81 – $226 | $159 |
| 4 | Massachusetts Range: $80 – $271 | $157 |
| 5 | Minnesota Range: $80 – $250 | $157 |
| 6 | Arkansas Range: $74 – $226 | $152 |
| 7 | Illinois Range: $70 – $226 | $150 |
| 8 | Colorado Range: $64 – $257 | $143 |
| 9 | Georgia Range: $75 – $216 | $142 |
| 10 | Connecticut Range: $93 – $207 | $131 |
| 11 | Missouri Range: $72 – $198 | $127 |
| 12 | Hawaii Range: $70 – $203 | $124 |
| 13 | District of Columbia Range: $71 – $194 | $122 |
| 14 | Florida Range: $67 – $200 | $121 |
| 15 | Michigan Range: $66 – $204 | $119 |
| 16 | Maryland Range: $57 – $194 | $116 |
| 17 | Idaho Range: $90 – $150 | $110 |
| 18 | Kentucky Range: $79 – $170 | $110 |
| 19 | Kansas Range: $65 – $151 | $109 |
| 20 | Arizona Range: $65 – $154 | $100 |
| 21 | Mississippi Range: $75 – $133 | $99 |
| 22 | Montana Range: $80 – $136 | $99 |
| 23 | Louisiana Range: $80 – $120 | $96 |
| 24 | Alabama Range: $69 – $128 | $92 |
| 25 | Delaware Range: $80 – $100 | $87 |
| 26 | Alaska Range: $80 – $80 | $80 |