Cost of a ER Visit (Low) Visit
in South Carolina
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
South Carolina's rural hospital closures have made emergency departments increasingly vital access points for low-severity care, especially in underserved counties. ER Visit (Low) costs in the Palmetto State range from $51 to $128, with patients typically paying a median out-of-pocket cost of $69 based on negotiated insurance rates. South Carolina maintains over 2,400 active emergency care providers across hospital systems, giving patients options to find affordable care even in smaller communities.
Average
$83
Median
$69
Lowest
$51
Highest
$128
Providers
2,412
12% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (low severity) compare to related procedures in South Carolina?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Moderate Severity) Emergency department visit, moderate severity | 99284 | $80 | $98 | $206 | 2,475 |
| ER Visit (High Severity) Emergency department visit, high severity | 99285 | $80 | $143 | $287 | 2,436 |
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.
Why ER Visit (Low) Visit Costs Vary Across South Carolina
South Carolina's emergency care costs run approximately 1% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower overall cost of living and healthcare wages. The Palmetto State's healthcare landscape is shaped by rural hospital closures and consolidation among major health systems like MUSC Health and Prisma Health.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville offer multiple emergency departments with competitive pricing, while rural counties often depend on single critical access hospitals with higher per-visit costs. The state's geographic spread from coastal lowcountry to upstate mountains creates significant access disparities. Rural emergency departments frequently transfer complex cases to urban facilities, affecting overall cost structures.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Major health systems like MUSC Health and Prisma Health operate hospital-based emergency departments with higher overhead costs due to trauma capabilities and specialty services. Independent and freestanding emergency departments offer alternatives in some markets but remain limited across South Carolina. Academic medical centers in Charleston and Columbia typically have the highest facility fees due to teaching and research missions.
Insurance Market Competition in South Carolina
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina maintains the largest market share, followed by UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, creating moderate insurer competition for negotiated rates. Rural areas often have fewer insurance options, potentially leading to higher negotiated rates due to limited provider networks. The state's regulatory environment allows insurers significant flexibility in network design and rate negotiations.
Physician Supply and Demand in South Carolina
With over 2,400 active emergency care providers statewide, South Carolina maintains adequate emergency physician supply in urban areas but faces shortages in rural counties. This geographic mismatch affects pricing, with rural facilities sometimes paying premium rates for locum tenens physicians. Emergency medicine residency programs at MUSC help maintain local physician supply, but retention in underserved areas remains challenging.
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 South Carolina
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Low) visit in South Carolina without insurance?
Does South Carolina Medicaid cover ER Visit (Low) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Low) near me in South Carolina?
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 South Carolina?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Low) in South Carolina?
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 |