Cost of a ER Visit (Moderate) Visit
in Iowa
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Iowa's rural healthcare infrastructure serves over 3.2 million residents across 99 counties, with emergency departments playing a critical role in communities where specialist access is limited. Patients seeking an ER Visit (Moderate) in Iowa typically pay between $80 and $371, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $163, based on negotiated rates from over 850 active providers statewide. Whether you're in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, or smaller rural communities, you can browse all ER Visit (Moderate) providers across Iowa to find quality care that fits your budget.
Average
$205
Median
$163
Lowest
$80
Highest
$371
Providers
853
44% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (moderate severity) compare to related procedures in Iowa?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Low Severity) Emergency department visit, low severity | 99283 | $44 | $96 | $218 | 837 |
| ER Visit (High Severity) Emergency department visit, high severity | 99285 | $85 | $203 | $538 | 804 |
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.
Top-Rated Hospitals in Iowa
These hospitals in Iowa are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
ORANGE CITY, IA
BELMOND, IA
CLARION, IA
MARENGO, IA
ALGONA, IA
Hospital ratings are based on HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey data published by CMS.
Why ER Visit (Moderate) Visit Costs Vary Across Iowa
Healthcare costs in Iowa run approximately 9% below the national average, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and rural healthcare economics. The state's mix of urban medical centers and rural critical access hospitals creates significant pricing variations across geographic regions.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Des Moines and Cedar Rapids offer multiple emergency departments with specialized capabilities, while Iowa's 82 rural counties often rely on single critical access hospitals that may transfer complex cases to larger facilities. This geographic disparity affects both access and pricing, with rural facilities sometimes charging less but offering more limited services for moderate ER cases.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Large health systems like UnityPoint Health and MercyOne dominate Iowa's emergency care landscape, with hospital-owned EDs typically charging higher facility fees than standalone emergency centers. Academic medical centers like University of Iowa Hospitals carry additional teaching hospital costs that can increase pricing for moderate-severity visits.
Insurance Market Competition in Iowa
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield holds significant market share across Iowa, particularly in rural areas, while UnitedHealthcare and Aetna compete primarily in urban markets. This concentrated insurer presence can limit negotiating leverage for providers but also creates more predictable network coverage for patients seeking emergency care statewide.
Physician Supply and Demand in Iowa
With over 850 active emergency medicine providers serving Iowa's 3.2 million residents, the state maintains adequate ER physician coverage in urban areas but faces shortages in rural counties. This supply imbalance can affect wait times and pricing, with rural facilities sometimes relying on locum tenens physicians who may command higher rates.
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 Iowa
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Moderate) visit in Iowa without insurance?
Does Iowa Medicaid cover ER Visit (Moderate) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Moderate) near me in Iowa?
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 Iowa?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Moderate) in Iowa?
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 |