Cost of a ER Visit (Moderate) Visit
in District of Columbia
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
District of Columbia maintains one of the nation's highest concentrations of hospital emergency departments per capita, serving both residents and the millions of federal workers and tourists who visit annually. For a ER Visit (Moderate) in DC, patients typically pay between $80 and $217, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $119 based on negotiated insurance rates. The district has 496 active ER Visit (Moderate) providers across its hospitals and emergency care facilities, giving patients multiple options when seeking urgent care services.
Average
$138
Median
$119
Lowest
$80
Highest
$217
Providers
496
2% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (moderate severity) compare to related procedures in District of Columbia?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Low Severity) Emergency department visit, low severity | 99283 | $49 | $85 | $142 | 489 |
| ER Visit (High Severity) Emergency department visit, high severity | 99285 | $85 | $165 | $305 | 480 |
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 99284 — Emergency department visit, 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 99284 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 99284 (Emergency department visit, moderate severity), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 99284 covers: the provider's professional fee for er visit (moderate 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 (Moderate) Visit Costs Vary Across District of Columbia
District of Columbia's healthcare costs run approximately 20% above the national average, reflecting the region's high cost of living and concentration of prestigious medical institutions. The district's unique status as the nation's capital creates additional demand from federal workers, diplomats, and tourists requiring emergency care services.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
As a compact urban district, DC lacks rural areas but experiences significant variation in emergency care access between neighborhoods. Areas like Capitol Hill and Dupont Circle have multiple nearby emergency departments, while residents in Anacostia may face longer travel times to reach major trauma centers, affecting both access and pricing dynamics.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based emergency departments in DC typically charge higher facility fees than urgent care centers, with academic medical centers like George Washington University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center commanding premium rates. Independent emergency centers and urgent care facilities offer lower-cost alternatives for moderate-severity conditions that don't require full hospital resources.
Insurance Market Competition in District of Columbia
The DC insurance market features moderate competition among CareFirst BCBS, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna, with CareFirst maintaining the largest market share as the regional Blues plan. This concentration allows insurers to negotiate competitive rates with providers, though the limited geographic area and high-cost medical market still result in above-average emergency care pricing.
Physician Supply and Demand in District of Columbia
With 496 active ER Visit (Moderate) providers serving approximately 700,000 residents, DC maintains adequate emergency physician supply relative to its population. However, demand fluctuates significantly due to the district's role as a tourist destination and seat of federal government, creating capacity pressures during major events and political activities that can affect wait times and costs.
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 (Moderate) Costs in District of Columbia
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Moderate) visit in District of Columbia without insurance?
Does District of Columbia Medicaid cover ER Visit (Moderate) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Moderate) near me in District of Columbia?
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 (Moderate) visit in District of Columbia?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Moderate) in District of Columbia?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 99284)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin Range: $73 – $647 | $311 |
| 2 | Illinois Range: $80 – $431 | $223 |
| 3 | Iowa Range: $80 – $371 | $205 |
| 4 | New Hampshire Range: $102 – $307 | $202 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania Range: $55 – $431 | $191 |
| 6 | New York Range: $67 – $374 | $183 |
| 7 | Rhode Island Range: $62 – $374 | $177 |
| 8 | Maine Range: $116 – $233 | $172 |
| 9 | Massachusetts Range: $62 – $368 | $170 |
| 10 | Nebraska Range: $83 – $291 | $165 |
| 11 | Washington Range: $80 – $259 | $161 |
| 12 | Michigan Range: $80 – $291 | $158 |
| 13 | New Mexico Range: $85 – $266 | $158 |
| 14 | Wyoming Range: $85 – $262 | $157 |
| 15 | Colorado Range: $80 – $267 | $157 |
| 16 | Vermont Range: $80 – $257 | $156 |
| 17 | Georgia Range: $84 – $246 | $151 |
| 18 | California Range: $80 – $258 | $142 |
| 19 | Indiana Range: $80 – $258 | $142 |
| 20 | Kentucky Range: $70 – $246 | $140 |
| 21 | North Carolina Range: $80 – $231 | $139 |
| 22 | District of Columbia Range: $80 – $217 | $138 |
| 23 | West Virginia Range: $62 – $174 | $137 |
| 24 | Utah Range: $80 – $228 | $135 |
| 25 | Maryland Range: $80 – $206 | $132 |
| 26 | New Jersey Range: $60 – $237 | $131 |
| 27 | Hawaii Range: $80 – $217 | $130 |
| 28 | Arkansas Range: $80 – $194 | $130 |
| 29 | Virginia Range: $81 – $202 | $129 |
| 30 | Tennessee Range: $85 – $187 | $128 |
| 31 | South Carolina Range: $80 – $206 | $128 |
| 32 | Ohio Range: $75 – $197 | $127 |
| 33 | Missouri Range: $85 – $167 | $124 |
| 34 | Alabama Range: $80 – $195 | $124 |
| 35 | Oklahoma Range: $85 – $169 | $123 |
| 36 | Kansas Range: $86 – $167 | $123 |
| 37 | Texas Range: $80 – $196 | $122 |
| 38 | Arizona Range: $80 – $187 | $122 |
| 39 | Mississippi Range: $86 – $165 | $121 |
| 40 | Idaho Range: $80 – $194 | $121 |
| 41 | Delaware Range: $80 – $157 | $120 |
| 42 | Minnesota Range: $62 – $233 | $119 |
| 43 | Nevada Range: $84 – $184 | $119 |
| 44 | Connecticut Range: $55 – $211 | $118 |
| 45 | Alaska Range: $80 – $194 | $118 |
| 46 | Louisiana Range: $62 – $150 | $104 |
| 47 | Oregon Range: $62 – $183 | $102 |
| 48 | Montana Range: $62 – $145 | $96 |
| 49 | Florida Range: $35 – $190 | $95 |
| 50 | North Dakota Range: $62 – $121 | $82 |
| 51 | South Dakota Range: $62 – $121 | $82 |