Cost of a ER Visit (High) Visit
in California
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
California's emergency departments handle over 12 million visits annually, with high-severity cases representing the most complex and resource-intensive treatments. ER Visit (High) encounters typically cost between $80 and $374, with a median negotiated rate of $88 based on transparency data from over 18,000 active providers statewide. California maintains one of the nation's largest networks of emergency medicine specialists, allowing patients to browse providers across major metropolitan areas and rural regions throughout the state.
Average
$181
Median
$88
Lowest
$80
Highest
$374
Providers
18,145
4% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (high severity) compare to related procedures in California?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Low Severity) Emergency department visit, low severity | 99283 | $80 | $88 | $153 | 19,723 |
| ER Visit (Moderate Severity) Emergency department visit, moderate severity | 99284 | $80 | $88 | $258 | 19,792 |
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 California
These hospitals in California are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
SANTA CRUZ, CA
IRVINE, CA
FRESNO, CA
MAMMOTH LAKES, CA
TRUCKEE, CA
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 California
California emergency care costs run approximately 18% above national averages, driven by the state's high cost of living, strict regulatory environment, and significant urban-rural healthcare disparities. The state's diverse geography creates distinct cost patterns between wealthy coastal metropolitan areas and underserved inland regions.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
California's emergency care is concentrated in major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, where competition among large health systems helps moderate some costs. Rural counties, particularly in the Central Valley and Northern California, face emergency department closures and provider shortages that can drive up costs and extend travel times for specialized care.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based emergency departments typically charge higher facility fees than standalone emergency centers, with academic medical centers like UCLA and UCSF commanding premium rates for complex cases. California's dominant health systems including Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health, and Providence operate large emergency networks with varying cost structures based on their market position and facility overhead.
Insurance Market Competition in California
California's competitive insurance market with major players Anthem, Kaiser, and UnitedHealthcare creates diverse negotiated rate structures across different regions. Kaiser's integrated model often results in different cost patterns compared to traditional insurers, while smaller regional plans may have limited emergency network options that affect patient costs.
Physician Supply and Demand in California
With over 18,000 emergency medicine providers active statewide, California maintains relatively strong emergency physician availability compared to national averages. This robust supply helps contain costs in metropolitan markets, though rural areas still face physician shortages that can drive up emergency visit prices and reduce access to specialized emergency care.
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 California
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (High) visit in California without insurance?
Does California Medicaid cover ER Visit (High) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (High) near me in California?
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 California?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (High) in California?
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 |