Cost of a ER Visit (Low) Visit
in Washington
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Washington's healthcare system benefits from robust insurer competition and expanded Medicaid coverage, creating varied pricing for emergency care across the state. For an ER Visit (Low) in Washington, patients typically encounter negotiated rates ranging from $56.84 to $166.55 based on facility and insurer agreements. With over 7,000 active providers offering low-severity emergency care, Washington residents can browse comprehensive options throughout the state.
Average
$101
Median
$80
Lowest
$57
Highest
$167
Providers
7,024
8% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (low severity) compare to related procedures in Washington?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Moderate Severity) Emergency department visit, moderate severity | 99284 | $80 | $143 | $259 | 7,139 |
| ER Visit (High Severity) Emergency department visit, high severity | 99285 | $80 | $214 | $379 | 7,033 |
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 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 (Low) Visit Costs Vary Across Washington
Washington's healthcare costs run approximately 10% above national averages, driven by the state's concentration of major health systems and higher operating expenses in metropolitan areas. The Puget Sound region's dominance in the state's healthcare landscape creates pricing pressures that ripple throughout Washington's emergency care market.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Seattle and Tacoma metro areas offer numerous emergency care options including hospital EDs, freestanding emergency departments, and urgent care centers, creating competitive pricing. Rural eastern Washington counties often rely on critical access hospitals with higher per-visit costs due to lower patient volumes and geographic isolation. The Cascade Mountains create natural barriers that limit patient choice and competition in certain regions.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Major health systems like UW Medicine, MultiCare, and Providence dominate Washington's emergency care landscape, with their hospital-based emergency departments typically carrying higher overhead costs. Independent urgent care centers and freestanding emergency departments offer alternatives with potentially lower facility fees. Academic medical centers in Seattle command premium pricing due to their teaching hospital status and specialized capabilities.
Insurance Market Competition in Washington
Washington's insurance market benefits from healthy competition among Premera Blue Cross, Regence BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealthcare, creating varied negotiated rate structures. The state's insurance exchange provides additional market pressure that influences emergency care pricing. Regional insurers often have stronger negotiating positions with local health systems compared to national carriers.
Physician Supply and Demand in Washington
With over 7,000 providers offering low-severity emergency care, Washington shows adequate emergency medicine physician supply in urban areas but potential shortages in rural regions. This geographic imbalance affects both access and pricing, with rural emergency departments often paying premium rates for emergency physician coverage. Urban competition helps moderate pricing while rural areas may see higher costs due to physician recruitment 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 Washington
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Low) visit in Washington without insurance?
Does Washington Medicaid cover ER Visit (Low) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Low) 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 (Low) visit in Washington?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Low) in Washington?
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 |