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Tennessee

Cost of a ER Visit (Low) Visit
in Tennessee

Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC

Tennessee's healthcare landscape serves 6.9 million residents through a network of regional medical centers and rural hospitals, with emergency departments handling everything from minor injuries to complex trauma cases. Patients seeking ER Visit (Low) services typically pay between $51 and $105, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $69 for low-severity emergency visits. Tennessee maintains 2,966 active ER Visit (Low) providers across the state, allowing patients to browse all available emergency care options throughout the region.

Average

$75

Median

$69

Lowest

$51

Highest

$105

Providers

2,966

National avg: $94Tennessee: $75

20% below national average

Compare Similar Procedures

How does er visit (low severity) compare to related procedures in Tennessee?

ProcedureCPTLowMedianHighProviders
ER Visit (Moderate Severity)

Emergency department visit, moderate severity

99284$85$114$1873,022
ER Visit (High Severity)

Emergency department visit, high severity

99285$85$168$2592,999

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 99283Emergency 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 Tennessee

These hospitals in Tennessee are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.

5/5
89% would recommend441 patient surveys
UNITY MEDICAL CENTER

MANCHESTER, TN

5/5
88% would recommend140 patient surveys
5/5
81% would recommend144 patient surveys
5/5
79% would recommend111 patient surveys
4/5
81% would recommend492 patient surveys

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 Tennessee

Tennessee's healthcare costs run approximately 4% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and moderate regulatory environment. The state's mix of major metropolitan areas like Nashville and Memphis alongside extensive rural regions creates significant cost variations based on facility type and geographic accessibility.

Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability

Tennessee's emergency care network concentrates heavily in the Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville metropolitan areas, where multiple hospitals compete and drive down prices through market competition. Rural counties often rely on single critical access hospitals or must transport patients to regional medical centers, creating access challenges but sometimes lower facility fees due to federal rural hospital subsidies.

Facility Type and Overhead Costs

Major health systems like Vanderbilt University Medical Center, HCA Healthcare facilities, and Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare dominate Tennessee's hospital landscape, with teaching hospitals typically charging premium rates due to higher operational costs. Independent community hospitals and freestanding emergency departments often offer more competitive pricing, particularly for lower-acuity visits that don't require tertiary care capabilities.

Insurance Market Competition in Tennessee

BCBS TN maintains strong market presence alongside national insurers like UHC and Cigna, creating moderate competition that helps keep negotiated rates reasonable compared to monopolistic insurance markets. The competitive environment allows hospitals to negotiate different rates with various insurers, meaning your specific insurance plan significantly impacts your out-of-pocket costs for identical services.

Physician Supply and Demand in Tennessee

With 2,966 active ER Visit (Low) providers serving Tennessee's population, the state maintains adequate emergency physician coverage, though distribution favors urban areas over rural regions. This provider supply helps maintain competitive pricing in metropolitan markets while potentially creating access premiums in underserved rural areas where emergency coverage is limited.

JP

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.

Healthcare Data AnalyticsCMS TiC DataInsurance Price Transparency

Frequently Asked Questions — ER Visit (Low) Costs in Tennessee

What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Low) visit in Tennessee without insurance?

Uninsured patients in Tennessee typically pay between $51 and $105 for low-severity emergency visits, with a median cost of $69 based on negotiated insurance rates. However, hospitals often charge higher list prices to uninsured patients, making it important to ask about self-pay discounts which can reduce costs by 30-50%. Many Tennessee hospitals offer payment plans and financial assistance programs to help manage emergency care expenses.

Does Tennessee Medicaid cover ER Visit (Low) visits?

Tennessee Medicaid covers emergency department visits when medically necessary, though the state has not expanded Medicaid, limiting eligibility to specific populations like pregnant women, children, and disabled individuals. Covered members typically pay minimal copays for emergency visits, but non-emergency use of emergency departments may face coverage restrictions. Adults without dependent children generally don't qualify for Tennessee Medicaid regardless of income level due to the lack of expansion.

How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Low) near me in Tennessee?

Compare costs between hospital emergency departments and freestanding emergency centers, as independent facilities often charge less than hospital-based emergency rooms. Ask about self-pay discounts if uninsured, and consider urgent care centers for non-critical conditions which typically cost 50-80% less than emergency departments. Community health centers throughout Tennessee also provide urgent care services on sliding fee scales based on income.

What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?

Emergency departments typically use the same billing codes regardless of whether it's your first visit or follow-up for the same condition, with costs based on the complexity and severity of care provided during that specific visit. Low-severity visits (CPT 99283) average $69 in Tennessee, while follow-up care is often better handled through primary care or specialist offices which cost significantly less than repeat emergency visits.

Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for a ER Visit (Low) visit in Tennessee?

Yes, Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds can be used to pay for emergency department visits in Tennessee as they qualify as eligible medical expenses. These tax-advantaged accounts cover copays, deductibles, and coinsurance associated with emergency care. Keep all receipts and documentation for HSA/FSA reimbursement purposes, including any follow-up care recommended during your emergency visit.

How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Low) in Tennessee?

Telemedicine cannot replace in-person emergency care for acute conditions requiring immediate physical examination, diagnostic tests, or procedures. However, virtual urgent care visits cost $50-100 less than emergency department visits and can help determine if emergency care is truly needed. Tennessee expanded telehealth coverage during the pandemic, making virtual consultations more accessible for non-emergency medical concerns that might otherwise lead to unnecessary emergency visits.

Click a state to compare costs

Average Visit Cost

$56
$271

Office visit (CPT 99283)

Compare With Other States

RankStateAverage
1Pennsylvania
Range: $47$693
$271
2Wisconsin
Range: $56$355
$180
3Illinois
Range: $57$252
$133
4Maine
Range: $86$184
$131
5New Hampshire
Range: $59$204
$130
6Michigan
Range: $54$252
$126
7Iowa
Range: $44$218
$119
8Rhode Island
Range: $40$204
$111
9California
Range: $80$153
$107
10Vermont
Range: $53$171
$107
11Indiana
Range: $57$171
$105
12New York
Range: $47$202
$105
13Washington
Range: $57$167
$101
14Colorado
Range: $54$159
$99
15Wyoming
Range: $54$155
$97
16Idaho
Range: $60$142
$96
17Nebraska
Range: $44$171
$95
18Massachusetts
Range: $40$206
$95
19Utah
Range: $53$139
$93
20District of Columbia
Range: $49$142
$92
21Maryland
Range: $43$162
$91
22Connecticut
Range: $53$153
$90
23Georgia
Range: $53$143
$90
24Alaska
Range: $69$118
$89
25New Mexico
Range: $54$139
$88
26Kentucky
Range: $40$139
$88
27Hawaii
Range: $54$139
$87
28Texas
Range: $54$118
$86
29North Carolina
Range: $51$136
$85
30New Jersey
Range: $44$142
$84
31South Carolina
Range: $51$128
$83
32Arkansas
Range: $51$115
$81
33Nevada
Range: $60$108
$81
34Alabama
Range: $49$131
$80
35Virginia
Range: $47$119
$79
36Arizona
Range: $53$107
$77
37Ohio
Range: $43$117
$77
38Minnesota
Range: $40$145
$75
39Tennessee
Range: $51$105
$75
40Oklahoma
Range: $51$104
$75
41Delaware
Range: $60$90
$74
42Missouri
Range: $52$99
$74
43Mississippi
Range: $51$104
$73
44Montana
Range: $40$91
$70
45Kansas
Range: $51$91
$70
46Florida
Range: $35$110
$67
47West Virginia
Range: $40$115
$65
48Louisiana
Range: $40$87
$63
49Oregon
Range: $40$108
$63
50North Dakota
Range: $40$91
$57
51South Dakota
Range: $40$88
$56
ER Visit (Low Severity) in Other States