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Louisiana

Cost of a ER Visit (Moderate) Visit
in Louisiana

Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC

Louisiana's healthcare system faces unique challenges with its non-expanded Medicaid status affecting emergency care access for thousands of residents. For a ER Visit (Moderate) in Louisiana, patients typically pay between $62 and $150, with a median negotiated rate of $101. The state maintains over 2,770 active emergency care providers across its diverse geographic regions, from New Orleans' dense medical district to rural parishes with limited hospital access.

Average

$104

Median

$101

Lowest

$62

Highest

$150

Providers

2,771

National avg: $142Louisiana: $104

26% below national average

Compare Similar Procedures

How does er visit (moderate severity) compare to related procedures in Louisiana?

ProcedureCPTLowMedianHighProviders
ER Visit (Low Severity)

Emergency department visit, low severity

99283$40$61$872,623
ER Visit (High Severity)

Emergency department visit, high severity

99285$98$150$5364,554

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 99284Emergency 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 Louisiana

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

5/5
93% would recommend118 patient surveys
AVALA

COVINGTON, LA

5/5
93% would recommend340 patient surveys
5/5
91% would recommend117 patient surveys
5/5
91% would recommend111 patient surveys
5/5
89% would recommend334 patient surveys

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 Louisiana

Louisiana's emergency care costs run approximately 1% above national averages, reflecting the state's mix of high-cost urban trauma centers and lower-cost rural facilities. The state's geography, stretching from dense New Orleans metro to sparsely populated northern parishes, creates distinct cost patterns based on provider concentration and competition.

Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability

New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport maintain multiple emergency departments with competitive pricing, while rural parishes often depend on single critical access hospitals with limited negotiating power. Louisiana's vast wetlands and rural geography mean some residents travel over an hour for emergency care, affecting both access and cost structures across different regions.

Facility Type and Overhead Costs

Major hospital systems like Ochsner Health and LCMC Health operate high-cost emergency departments with comprehensive services, while independent rural hospitals maintain lower overhead but limited capabilities. Louisiana's post-Katrina hospital consolidation created fewer but larger emergency facilities, generally increasing costs but improving coordination of care.

Insurance Market Competition in Louisiana

BCBS Louisiana, UHC, and Aetna control most of the state's insurance market, with limited competition particularly in rural areas reducing negotiating leverage for emergency care rates. Urban parishes benefit from stronger insurer competition, while northern and rural Louisiana often face near-monopoly conditions that can drive up negotiated rates for emergency services.

Physician Supply and Demand in Louisiana

With over 2,770 emergency care providers statewide, Louisiana maintains adequate physician supply in urban areas but faces shortages in rural parishes. This uneven distribution creates cost disparities, with rural emergency physicians often commanding higher rates due to limited supply, while urban competition helps moderate pricing in metro markets.

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 (Moderate) Costs in Louisiana

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

Uninsured patients in Louisiana typically pay between $62 and $150 for a moderate emergency visit, with a median cost of $101. Many Louisiana hospitals offer cash-pay discounts of 20-40% for uninsured patients, and the state's charity hospital legacy means financial assistance programs are widely available. Rural hospitals often provide more flexible payment options than urban trauma centers.

Does Louisiana Medicaid cover ER Visit (Moderate) visits?

Louisiana Medicaid covers emergency visits for eligible populations, but the state chose not to expand Medicaid, leaving many working adults without coverage. Adults must earn below 24% of federal poverty level to qualify for traditional Medicaid emergency coverage. Emergency Medicaid covers life-threatening conditions for undocumented residents, but moderate emergency visits may not qualify unless they become severe.

How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Moderate) near me in Louisiana?

Compare costs between hospital emergency departments and freestanding emergency centers, as prices can vary significantly across Louisiana's diverse healthcare landscape. Rural critical access hospitals often charge less than urban trauma centers, and many facilities offer cash-pay discounts or payment plans. Community health centers throughout Louisiana provide urgent care alternatives that may be more affordable for non-emergency conditions.

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

Emergency departments don't typically differentiate between initial and follow-up visits like outpatient clinics do, with moderate emergency visits consistently costing between $62-$150 regardless of whether it's your first visit. However, returning within 72 hours for the same condition may result in reduced charges at some Louisiana hospitals. Follow-up care is usually handled through primary care physicians or specialists rather than emergency departments.

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

Yes, emergency department visits qualify as eligible medical expenses for both HSA and FSA accounts in Louisiana. You can use these pre-tax dollars to pay for emergency physician fees, facility charges, and any associated tests or procedures during your visit. Keep all receipts and documentation, as HSA/FSA administrators may require proof that the emergency visit was medically necessary.

How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Moderate) in Louisiana?

Telemedicine cannot replace emergency department visits for moderate emergencies requiring hands-on evaluation, monitoring, or immediate interventions. However, Louisiana's growing telehealth infrastructure allows virtual consultations to help determine whether emergency care is truly needed, potentially avoiding unnecessary expensive emergency visits. Some Louisiana health systems offer virtual urgent care as a lower-cost alternative for conditions that initially seem to require emergency attention.

Click a state to compare costs

Average Visit Cost

$82
$311

Office visit (CPT 99284)

Compare With Other States

RankStateAverage
1Wisconsin
Range: $73$647
$311
2Illinois
Range: $80$431
$223
3Iowa
Range: $80$371
$205
4New Hampshire
Range: $102$307
$202
5Pennsylvania
Range: $55$431
$191
6New York
Range: $67$374
$183
7Rhode Island
Range: $62$374
$177
8Maine
Range: $116$233
$172
9Massachusetts
Range: $62$368
$170
10Nebraska
Range: $83$291
$165
11Washington
Range: $80$259
$161
12Michigan
Range: $80$291
$158
13New Mexico
Range: $85$266
$158
14Wyoming
Range: $85$262
$157
15Colorado
Range: $80$267
$157
16Vermont
Range: $80$257
$156
17Georgia
Range: $84$246
$151
18California
Range: $80$258
$142
19Indiana
Range: $80$258
$142
20Kentucky
Range: $70$246
$140
21North Carolina
Range: $80$231
$139
22District of Columbia
Range: $80$217
$138
23West Virginia
Range: $62$174
$137
24Utah
Range: $80$228
$135
25Maryland
Range: $80$206
$132
26New Jersey
Range: $60$237
$131
27Hawaii
Range: $80$217
$130
28Arkansas
Range: $80$194
$130
29Virginia
Range: $81$202
$129
30Tennessee
Range: $85$187
$128
31South Carolina
Range: $80$206
$128
32Ohio
Range: $75$197
$127
33Missouri
Range: $85$167
$124
34Alabama
Range: $80$195
$124
35Oklahoma
Range: $85$169
$123
36Kansas
Range: $86$167
$123
37Texas
Range: $80$196
$122
38Arizona
Range: $80$187
$122
39Mississippi
Range: $86$165
$121
40Idaho
Range: $80$194
$121
41Delaware
Range: $80$157
$120
42Minnesota
Range: $62$233
$119
43Nevada
Range: $84$184
$119
44Connecticut
Range: $55$211
$118
45Alaska
Range: $80$194
$118
46Louisiana
Range: $62$150
$104
47Oregon
Range: $62$183
$102
48Montana
Range: $62$145
$96
49Florida
Range: $35$190
$95
50North Dakota
Range: $62$121
$82
51South Dakota
Range: $62$121
$82
ER Visit (Moderate Severity) in Other States