Cost of a ER Visit (Low) Visit
in Kentucky
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Kentucky has expanded Medicaid coverage to over 400,000 residents, improving emergency care access across the Commonwealth's 120 counties. For a ER Visit (Low) visit, patients typically pay between $40 and $139, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $85 based on negotiated insurance rates. Kentucky maintains 378 active ER Visit (Low) providers serving both urban centers like Louisville and rural Appalachian communities, offering patients multiple options when seeking emergency care for minor conditions.
Average
$88
Median
$85
Lowest
$40
Highest
$139
Providers
378
6% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (low severity) compare to related procedures in Kentucky?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Moderate Severity) Emergency department visit, moderate severity | 99284 | $70 | $103 | $246 | 405 |
| ER Visit (High Severity) Emergency department visit, high severity | 99285 | $80 | $88 | $296 | 1,050 |
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 Kentucky
These hospitals in Kentucky are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
BEREA, KY
FLEMINGSBURG, KY
LOUISA, KY
LEXINGTON, KY
CYNTHIANA, KY
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 Kentucky
Kentucky's emergency care costs run approximately 5% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower overall healthcare costs and rural hospital economics. The Commonwealth's mix of Appalachian rural counties and metropolitan areas like Louisville creates distinct pricing patterns based on provider density and operational overhead.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Kentucky's urban centers like Louisville, Lexington, and Bowling Green offer multiple emergency options with competitive pricing, while rural counties face ongoing hospital closures that limit choices but may reduce overhead costs. The state's mountainous eastern regions particularly struggle with emergency access, potentially affecting both availability and pricing for low-severity visits.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based emergency departments affiliated with major systems like Baptist Health, UK HealthCare, and Norton Healthcare typically charge higher facility fees than independent urgent care centers. Kentucky's rural critical access hospitals often provide emergency care at lower overhead costs but with potentially limited diagnostic capabilities for complex cases.
Insurance Market Competition in Kentucky
Anthem, UHC, and Humana compete across most Kentucky markets, creating moderate negotiated rate competition for emergency services. Rural areas may have fewer insurer options, potentially leading to higher negotiated rates, while metropolitan markets benefit from stronger competition and more favorable provider contracts.
Physician Supply and Demand in Kentucky
With 378 active ER Visit (Low) providers statewide, Kentucky maintains adequate emergency physician coverage relative to its population of 4.5 million residents. This reasonable supply-demand balance helps moderate pricing pressures, though rural areas may experience longer wait times during peak periods, potentially affecting patient flow and operational efficiency.
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 Kentucky
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Low) visit in Kentucky without insurance?
Does Kentucky Medicaid cover ER Visit (Low) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Low) near me in Kentucky?
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 Kentucky?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Low) in Kentucky?
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 |