Cost of a ER Visit (Moderate) Visit
in South Dakota
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
South Dakota's rural geography means many residents travel significant distances for emergency care, with the state ranking among the lowest nationally for emergency physicians per capita. For a moderate severity emergency room visit, patients typically pay between $62 and $121, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $62 based on negotiated insurance rates. With 352 active ER providers across South Dakota's healthcare facilities, patients can browse all providers in South Dakota to find the most cost-effective option for their emergency care needs.
Average
$82
Median
$62
Lowest
$62
Highest
$121
Providers
352
43% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does er visit (moderate severity) compare to related procedures in South Dakota?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER Visit (Low Severity) Emergency department visit, low severity | 99283 | $40 | $40 | $88 | 345 |
| ER Visit (High Severity) Emergency department visit, high severity | 99285 | $98 | $98 | $161 | 350 |
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 South Dakota
These hospitals in South Dakota are top-rated for patient satisfaction. Review data sourced from HCAHPS Patient Survey.
RAPID CITY, SD
SIOUX FALLS, SD
SIOUX FALLS, SD
DAKOTA DUNES, SD
SIOUX FALLS, SD
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 South Dakota
South Dakota's healthcare costs run approximately 3% above the national average despite lower overall cost of living, reflecting the challenges of delivering emergency care across vast rural distances. The state's agricultural economy and seasonal employment patterns create unique payment challenges for both providers and patients.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
South Dakota's two major metropolitan areas, Sioux Falls and Rapid City, contain most of the state's advanced emergency facilities, while rural counties rely on critical access hospitals that may stabilize patients before transferring complex cases. This geographic divide creates significant cost and access disparities, with rural residents often traveling 50+ miles for comprehensive emergency care.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Sanford Health and Avera Health Systems dominate South Dakota's hospital market, operating both large regional medical centers and smaller community hospitals with varying overhead structures. Independent critical access hospitals in rural areas often have higher per-visit costs due to lower patient volumes but may offer more flexible payment arrangements.
Insurance Market Competition in South Dakota
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield holds significant market share alongside Sanford Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare, creating moderate competition that helps keep negotiated rates reasonable compared to less competitive rural states. The limited number of major insurers means each has substantial negotiating power with South Dakota's hospital systems.
Physician Supply and Demand in South Dakota
With 352 active emergency medicine providers serving the entire state's population of under 900,000, South Dakota maintains adequate emergency physician coverage in urban areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This supply pattern contributes to cost variations, with rural hospitals sometimes paying premium rates for emergency physician coverage through contract services.
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 South Dakota
What is the average cost of a ER Visit (Moderate) visit in South Dakota without insurance?
Does South Dakota Medicaid cover ER Visit (Moderate) visits?
How do I find an affordable ER Visit (Moderate) near me in South Dakota?
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 South Dakota?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a ER Visit (Moderate) in South Dakota?
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 |