Cost of a ER Visit (High) Visit
in Washington
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Washington's emergency departments handle over 2.4 million visits annually across the state's diverse geography, from Seattle's Level I trauma centers to rural critical access hospitals in the Cascade foothills. For high-severity ER Visit (High) cases requiring complex evaluation and management, patients typically face negotiated rates ranging from $80 to $379, with a median cost of $214 based on transparency data from over 7,000 active providers. Washington maintains a robust network of emergency medicine specialists across both urban medical centers and rural facilities, allowing patients to browse providers throughout the Puget Sound region, Eastern Washington, and the Olympic Peninsula.
Average
$224
Median
$214
Lowest
$80
Highest
$379
Providers
7,033
19% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (high severity) compare to related procedures in Washington?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Low Severity) Emergency department visit, low severity | 99283 | $57 | $80 | $167 | 7,024 |
| ER Visit (Moderate Severity) Emergency department visit, moderate severity | 99284 | $80 | $143 | $259 | 7,139 |
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 Washington
These hospitals in Washington are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
SPOKANE, WA
CLARKSTON, WA
PULLMAN, WA
PORT TOWNSEND, WA
PROSSER, WA
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 Washington
Washington's emergency care costs run approximately 10% above national averages, driven by the state's high cost of living, stringent healthcare regulations, and geographic challenges serving remote communities. The concentration of major medical centers in Seattle and Spokane creates cost disparities with rural areas, where critical access hospitals operate under different reimbursement models.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Seattle's dense network of Level I and Level II trauma centers contrasts sharply with Eastern Washington's sparse rural coverage, where patients may travel over 100 miles for specialized emergency care. Urban emergency departments handle higher patient volumes but also maintain costlier staffing with subspecialty coverage 24/7. Rural facilities often transfer complex cases to regional medical centers, adding transport costs but ensuring appropriate care levels.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based emergency departments in Washington carry higher facility fees due to regulatory requirements for trauma readiness and specialist on-call coverage. Major health systems like MultiCare, Providence, and Virginia Mason operate most emergency departments, with their integrated networks affecting pricing strategies. Freestanding emergency centers, primarily in suburban areas, may offer lower facility costs but limited services compared to full-service hospital emergency departments.
Insurance Market Competition in Washington
Strong competition among Premera, Regence, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealthcare creates varied negotiated rate structures for emergency services across Washington. The state's active insurance marketplace and regulatory oversight promote competitive pricing, though rural areas may have limited insurer participation. Kaiser's integrated model offers different cost structures compared to traditional insurers working with independent providers.
Physician Supply and Demand in Washington
With over 7,000 emergency medicine providers reported in transparency data, Washington maintains adequate emergency physician coverage in urban areas but faces shortages in rural regions. The state's medical schools and residency programs help maintain physician supply, though competition for emergency medicine specialists keeps compensation levels high. Rural areas often rely on family physicians with emergency training or locum tenens coverage, which can affect both availability and pricing structures.
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 Washington
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (High) visit in Washington without insurance?
Does Washington Medicaid cover ER Visit (High) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (High) near me in Washington?
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 Washington?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (High) in Washington?
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 |