Cost of a ER Visit (Low) Visit
in Illinois
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Illinois's emergency departments handle over 6 million visits annually, with the Chicago metropolitan area accounting for nearly half of all emergency care encounters statewide. For ER Visit (Low) severity cases, patients typically pay between $57 and $252, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $90 based on negotiated insurance rates. With over 15,600 active ER Visit (Low) providers across Illinois's diverse healthcare landscape, patients can browse all available emergency care options throughout the state.
Average
$133
Median
$90
Lowest
$57
Highest
$252
Providers
15,690
42% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (low severity) compare to related procedures in Illinois?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Moderate Severity) Emergency department visit, moderate severity | 99284 | $80 | $158 | $431 | 14,611 |
| ER Visit (High Severity) Emergency department visit, high severity | 99285 | $80 | $206 | $569 | 13,925 |
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 99283 — Emergency department visit, low to moderate 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 99283 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 99283 (Emergency department visit, low to moderate severity), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 99283 covers: the provider's professional fee for er visit (low 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 Illinois
These hospitals in Illinois are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
GALENA, IL
CARTHAGE, IL
GIBSON CITY, IL
MONMOUTH, IL
Hospital ratings are based on HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey data published by CMS.
Why ER Visit (Low) Visit Costs Vary Across Illinois
Illinois emergency care costs run approximately 10% above national averages, reflecting the state's mix of high-cost Chicago metropolitan facilities and more affordable rural hospitals throughout central and southern regions. The concentration of major academic medical centers in Chicago, combined with Illinois's medical malpractice insurance costs and regulatory environment, creates upward pressure on emergency care pricing statewide.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Chicago's Cook County and surrounding collar counties contain over 60% of Illinois's emergency departments, creating intense competition but also higher operational costs due to urban real estate and staffing expenses. Rural hospitals in central and southern Illinois often struggle with emergency physician staffing, sometimes relying on telemedicine support or contract physicians who command premium rates. This urban-rural divide means emergency care access varies significantly, with some rural counties having limited after-hours emergency options.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based emergency departments in Illinois carry substantially higher overhead costs than freestanding emergency centers or urgent care facilities due to 24/7 staffing requirements and trauma readiness standards. Major health systems like Advocate Health Care, Northwestern Medicine, and OSF HealthCare operate large emergency department networks with standardized pricing that reflects their integrated delivery model costs. Independent hospitals often have more variable pricing structures but may offer more aggressive self-pay discounts to compete with larger systems.
Insurance Market Competition in Illinois
The Illinois insurance market's concentration among Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna creates relatively standardized emergency care reimbursement rates across most of the state. However, negotiated rates can vary significantly between these major payers, with BCBS Illinois often securing more favorable rates due to its larger market share and longstanding provider relationships. Smaller regional insurers and self-funded employer plans sometimes achieve better pricing through more flexible network arrangements.
Physician Supply and Demand in Illinois
With over 15,600 active providers handling emergency care throughout Illinois, the state maintains adequate emergency physician supply in metropolitan areas while facing shortages in rural regions. This geographic imbalance affects both pricing and wait times, with Chicago-area emergency departments often having more competitive pricing due to physician availability, while rural facilities may charge higher rates to attract emergency medicine coverage. The concentration of emergency medicine residency programs in Chicago helps maintain urban physician supply but doesn't address rural access challenges.
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 (Low) Costs in Illinois
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Low) visit in Illinois without insurance?
Does Illinois Medicaid cover ER Visit (Low) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Low) near me in Illinois?
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 (Low) visit in Illinois?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Low) in Illinois?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 99283)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania Range: $47 – $693 | $271 |
| 2 | Wisconsin Range: $56 – $355 | $180 |
| 3 | Illinois Range: $57 – $252 | $133 |
| 4 | Maine Range: $86 – $184 | $131 |
| 5 | New Hampshire Range: $59 – $204 | $130 |
| 6 | Michigan Range: $54 – $252 | $126 |
| 7 | Iowa Range: $44 – $218 | $119 |
| 8 | Rhode Island Range: $40 – $204 | $111 |
| 9 | California Range: $80 – $153 | $107 |
| 10 | Vermont Range: $53 – $171 | $107 |
| 11 | Indiana Range: $57 – $171 | $105 |
| 12 | New York Range: $47 – $202 | $105 |
| 13 | Washington Range: $57 – $167 | $101 |
| 14 | Colorado Range: $54 – $159 | $99 |
| 15 | Wyoming Range: $54 – $155 | $97 |
| 16 | Idaho Range: $60 – $142 | $96 |
| 17 | Nebraska Range: $44 – $171 | $95 |
| 18 | Massachusetts Range: $40 – $206 | $95 |
| 19 | Utah Range: $53 – $139 | $93 |
| 20 | District of Columbia Range: $49 – $142 | $92 |
| 21 | Maryland Range: $43 – $162 | $91 |
| 22 | Connecticut Range: $53 – $153 | $90 |
| 23 | Georgia Range: $53 – $143 | $90 |
| 24 | Alaska Range: $69 – $118 | $89 |
| 25 | New Mexico Range: $54 – $139 | $88 |
| 26 | Kentucky Range: $40 – $139 | $88 |
| 27 | Hawaii Range: $54 – $139 | $87 |
| 28 | Texas Range: $54 – $118 | $86 |
| 29 | North Carolina Range: $51 – $136 | $85 |
| 30 | New Jersey Range: $44 – $142 | $84 |
| 31 | South Carolina Range: $51 – $128 | $83 |
| 32 | Arkansas Range: $51 – $115 | $81 |
| 33 | Nevada Range: $60 – $108 | $81 |
| 34 | Alabama Range: $49 – $131 | $80 |
| 35 | Virginia Range: $47 – $119 | $79 |
| 36 | Arizona Range: $53 – $107 | $77 |
| 37 | Ohio Range: $43 – $117 | $77 |
| 38 | Minnesota Range: $40 – $145 | $75 |
| 39 | Tennessee Range: $51 – $105 | $75 |
| 40 | Oklahoma Range: $51 – $104 | $75 |
| 41 | Delaware Range: $60 – $90 | $74 |
| 42 | Missouri Range: $52 – $99 | $74 |
| 43 | Mississippi Range: $51 – $104 | $73 |
| 44 | Montana Range: $40 – $91 | $70 |
| 45 | Kansas Range: $51 – $91 | $70 |
| 46 | Florida Range: $35 – $110 | $67 |
| 47 | West Virginia Range: $40 – $115 | $65 |
| 48 | Louisiana Range: $40 – $87 | $63 |
| 49 | Oregon Range: $40 – $108 | $63 |
| 50 | North Dakota Range: $40 – $91 | $57 |
| 51 | South Dakota Range: $40 – $88 | $56 |