Cost of a ER Visit (High) Visit
in Arkansas
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Arkansas ranks among states with the lowest emergency department utilization rates, yet high-severity ER visits remain critical for life-threatening conditions. Patients seeking an ER Visit (High) in Arkansas typically pay between $85 and $282, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $168, based on negotiated insurance rates across 214 active providers statewide. Browse all ER Visit (High) providers in Arkansas to compare costs and find quality emergency care when every minute counts.
Average
$178
Median
$168
Lowest
$85
Highest
$282
Providers
214
6% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (high severity) compare to related procedures in Arkansas?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Low Severity) Emergency department visit, low severity | 99283 | $51 | $77 | $115 | 200 |
| ER Visit (Moderate Severity) Emergency department visit, moderate severity | 99284 | $80 | $115 | $194 | 209 |
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 99285 — Emergency department visit, high severity). 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 99285 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 99285 (Emergency department visit, high severity), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 99285 covers: the provider's professional fee for er visit (high severity). 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 Hospitals in Arkansas
These hospitals in Arkansas are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
FAYETTEVILLE, AR
NASHVILLE, AR
LITTLE ROCK, AR
BRYANT, AR
NO LITTLE ROCK, AR
Hospital ratings are based on HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey data published by CMS.
Why ER Visit (High) Visit Costs Vary Across Arkansas
Arkansas emergency care costs run approximately 12% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and rural healthcare market dynamics. The Natural State's mix of metropolitan areas and vast rural territories creates significant access and pricing disparities for emergency services.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Emergency care concentrates heavily in Little Rock, Fayetteville, and Fort Smith, while rural Arkansas counties often rely on critical access hospitals with limited high-severity capabilities. Patients in remote areas may require costly transfers to tertiary care centers, adding ambulance and facility fees to emergency treatment costs.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Major health systems like Baptist Health and CHI St. Vincent operate hospital-based emergency departments with higher overhead costs than freestanding emergency centers. Teaching hospitals associated with UAMS typically charge premium rates due to academic medical center operational expenses and advanced trauma capabilities.
Insurance Market Competition in Arkansas
Blue Cross Blue Shield Arkansas dominates the state's insurance market with limited competition from other major carriers, reducing competitive pressure on negotiated emergency care rates. This concentrated market structure allows fewer aggressive rate negotiations compared to states with multiple competing health plans.
Physician Supply and Demand in Arkansas
With 214 active emergency medicine providers statewide, Arkansas maintains adequate emergency physician coverage in urban areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This supply imbalance drives higher costs in underserved areas where emergency physicians command premium compensation packages to practice in remote locations.
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 — ER Visit (High) Costs in Arkansas
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (High) visit in Arkansas without insurance?
Does Arkansas Medicaid cover ER Visit (High) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (High) near me in Arkansas?
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 ER Visit (High) visit in Arkansas?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (High) in Arkansas?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 99285)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin Range: $73 – $940 | $430 |
| 2 | New Hampshire Range: $150 – $446 | $294 |
| 3 | Illinois Range: $80 – $569 | $285 |
| 4 | Iowa Range: $85 – $538 | $275 |
| 5 | Louisiana Range: $98 – $536 | $261 |
| 6 | New York Range: $80 – $543 | $260 |
| 7 | Maine Range: $170 – $337 | $251 |
| 8 | Nebraska Range: $123 – $422 | $236 |
| 9 | Washington Range: $80 – $379 | $224 |
| 10 | Colorado Range: $80 – $390 | $219 |
| 11 | New Mexico Range: $88 – $389 | $218 |
| 12 | Wyoming Range: $88 – $385 | $217 |
| 13 | Vermont Range: $98 – $356 | $216 |
| 14 | Rhode Island Range: $80 – $429 | $202 |
| 15 | Massachusetts Range: $80 – $428 | $202 |
| 16 | Georgia Range: $85 – $333 | $198 |
| 17 | North Carolina Range: $80 – $330 | $188 |
| 18 | District of Columbia Range: $85 – $305 | $185 |
| 19 | Maryland Range: $88 – $298 | $183 |
| 20 | Michigan Range: $80 – $318 | $183 |
| 21 | Utah Range: $80 – $317 | $182 |
| 22 | New Jersey Range: $60 – $348 | $182 |
| 23 | Ohio Range: $85 – $287 | $181 |
| 24 | Mississippi Range: $126 – $250 | $181 |
| 25 | California Range: $80 – $374 | $181 |
| 26 | Hawaii Range: $80 – $313 | $179 |
| 27 | Arkansas Range: $85 – $282 | $178 |
| 28 | Virginia Range: $88 – $293 | $177 |
| 29 | Tennessee Range: $85 – $259 | $170 |
| 30 | South Carolina Range: $80 – $287 | $170 |
| 31 | Missouri Range: $88 – $239 | $168 |
| 32 | Minnesota Range: $91 – $312 | $167 |
| 33 | Oklahoma Range: $85 – $246 | $166 |
| 34 | Kansas Range: $88 – $243 | $166 |
| 35 | Alabama Range: $80 – $257 | $160 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania Range: $55 – $334 | $159 |
| 37 | Arizona Range: $80 – $250 | $157 |
| 38 | Indiana Range: $85 – $298 | $157 |
| 39 | West Virginia Range: $88 – $281 | $155 |
| 40 | Delaware Range: $85 – $203 | $155 |
| 41 | Kentucky Range: $80 – $296 | $155 |
| 42 | Nevada Range: $85 – $267 | $154 |
| 43 | Alaska Range: $80 – $292 | $151 |
| 44 | Connecticut Range: $55 – $320 | $148 |
| 45 | Idaho Range: $80 – $275 | $148 |
| 46 | Oregon Range: $80 – $250 | $142 |
| 47 | Texas Range: $80 – $257 | $142 |
| 48 | Montana Range: $80 – $213 | $124 |
| 49 | North Dakota Range: $91 – $177 | $122 |
| 50 | South Dakota Range: $98 – $161 | $119 |
| 51 | Florida Range: $35 – $246 | $114 |