Are these the prices I'll pay?

These are the rates hospitals publish. Final price depends on your insurance, deductible, and the specific services billed. Always confirm with the facility and your insurer before any procedure.

Why do prices vary so much between hospitals?

Hospitals set cash prices independently, and insurance contracts negotiate different rates per payer. Two facilities a few miles apart can charge 5-10x different prices for the same procedure.

Where does this data come from?

Federal law (45 CFR § 180) requires hospitals to publish their pricing in a machine-readable file. We aggregate these files and republish in a consumer-friendly format.

Home › Emergency department visit for problem that may not require health care professi… › Iowa

Emergency Department Visit for Problem That May Not Require Health Care Professi… Cost in Iowa

What this costs without insurance: real self-pay cash prices and insurance-negotiated rates at 66 Iowa hospitals. CPT 99281. Sourced directly from each facility's CMS-mandated transparency file. Dataset: Q4 2026.

📊 Median $44.80 📉 Low $12.88 📈 High $685 🏥 66 hospitals 🏛️ 51 with insurance contracts 🇺🇸 Medicare $10.28

Hospital comparison — Iowa

Sorted by cash price (lowest first). Showing top 60 of 66 hospitals.

Billed more than $44.80 for this? That gap is evidence. Build my dispute letter

Hospital	Cash	UHC	Aetna	Humana	BCBS	Molina	Cigna	MultiPlan	Centene
GREENE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER JEFFERSON	$12.88	$11.96	$10.26	$10.51	—	$11.96	—	—	$10.35
BURGESS HEALTH CENTER ONAWA	$14.40	$9.18	$9.18	$18.00	$9.18	—	—	—	—
HUMBOLDT COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HUMBOLDT	$18.00	$19.20	$14.20	$15.57	$15.57	$15.57	$15.00	$15.00	—
BUCHANAN COUNTY HEALTH CENTER INDEPENDENCE	$18.32	$7.76	$7.76	$21.56	$7.76	$21.56	$17.89	—	—
LORING HOSPITAL SAC CITY	$18.40	$17.71	$17.71	$17.71	—	$23.00	$22.08	—	—
COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SUMNER	$18.88	$13.88	$14.87	$14.87	$14.87	$23.60	—	—	—
GREATER REGIONAL HEALTH W TOWNLINE ST CRESTON	$21.00	$17.70	$18.90	$19.20	$19.20	$59.00	$26.70	—	—
SIOUX CENTER HEALTH AVERA SIOUX CENTER	$23.28	$20.47	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE WATERLOO MEDICAL CENTER WATERLOO	$24.00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE DES MOINES MEDICAL CENTER DES MOINES	$24.00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
GUTTENBERG MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL GUTTENBERG	$26.40	$30.36	$17.16	$18.20	—	$17.94	—	—	—
CHI HEALTH MERCY CORNING CORNING	$29.28	$15.25	—	$15.25	$15.25	$27.28	—	$59.78	$15.56
REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER MANCHESTER	$29.60	$37.70	$34.34	—	—	—	$88.03	$95.00	—
CHI HEALTH MISSOURI VALLEY MISSOURI VALLEY	$29.89	$15.25	—	$15.25	$55.06	$27.28	—	$59.78	$15.56
MERCYONE NEW HAMPTON NEW HAMPTON	$35.10	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE OELWEIN MEDICAL CENTER OELWEIN	$35.10	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE ELKADER MEDICAL CENTER ELKADER	$35.10	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE DYERSVILLE MEDICAL CENTER DYERSVILLE	$35.10	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
STORY COUNTY HOSPITAL NORTH NEVADA	$36.00	$10.30	$10.30	$27.45	$10.30	$45.00	—	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL CEDAR RAPIDS	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH ST. LUKE'S SIOUX CITY	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH BLANK CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL DES MOINES	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH GRINNELL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER GRINNELL	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTHCARE FINLEY HOSPITAL DUBUQUE	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH TRINITY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER FORT DODGE	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	—	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH IOWA LUTHERAN HOSPITAL DES MOINES	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH TRINITY BETTENDORF	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	—	$21.90	—	$10.30
UNITYPOINT HEALTH TRINITY MUSCATINE MUSCATINE	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.30	—	$21.90	—	$10.30
UNITYPOINT HEALTH ALLEN HOSPITAL WATERLOO	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH MARSHALLTOWN MARSHALLTOWN	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.82	$10.51	$10.51	$21.90	—	—
UNITYPOINT HEALTH JONES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER ANAMOSA	$40.80	$10.82	$10.30	$10.30	$10.51	—	$21.90	—	—
CLARKE COUNTY PUBLIC HOSPITAL OSCEOLA	$41.25	$3.35	$3.35	$3.35	$3.35	$2.95	$4.90	—	—
STEWART MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL LAKE CITY	$44.80	$29.12	$28.00	$42.64	—	$42.64	$36.96	$28.00	—
PELLA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER PELLA	$46.00	$27.60	$17.48	$17.48	$17.48	$16.10	—	$32.20	—
CHEROKEE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER CHEROKEE	$50.40	$29.68	$29.68	$29.68	$29.68	$30.80	$56.00	—	—
FLOYD VALLEY HOSPITAL LE MARS	$51.00	$42.82	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE CENTERVILLE MEDICAL CENTER CENTERVILLE	$54.00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE NORTH IOWA MASON CITY	$54.00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
RINGGOLD COUNTY HOSPITAL MT AYR	$55.80	—	$57.00	$57.00	—	—	—	—	—
BUENA VISTA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER TH ST STORM LAKE	$56.00	$37.10	$37.10	$37.10	$37.10	—	$63.00	—	$37.10
POCAHONTAS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL POCAHONTAS	$64.00	$61.44	$38.40	$60.80	$40.96	$50.00	$62.08	—	—
JACKSON COUNTY REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER MAQUOKETA	$66.00	$36.30	$55.37	$11.54	—	—	—	—	—
MONTGOMERY COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL RED OAK	$66.50	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
BROADLAWNS MEDICAL CENTER DES MOINES	$92.00	$92.00	$92.00	—	—	—	$73.60	—	—
DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL PERRY	$94.00	$11.82	$11.58	$11.58	—	$39.78	—	—	—
PALO ALTO COUNTY HOSPITAL EMMETSBURG	$96.00	$48.00	—	$39.39	$38.63	$60.00	—	—	—
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITAL & CLINICS IOWA CITY	$96.60	$10.30	$10.28	—	$10.49	$10.28	—	$127	—
UI HEALTH CARE MEDICAL CENTER DOWNTOWN IOWA CITY	$96.60	$10.30	$10.28	—	$10.38	$10.28	—	$127	—
LUCAS COUNTY HEALTH CENTER CHARITON	$102	$62.15	$62.15	$62.15	—	$79.10	—	—	—
HAWARDEN REGIONAL HEALTHCARE HARWARDEN	$103	$82.31	—	—	$11.70	—	—	—	—
LAKES REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SPIRIT LAKE	$107	$42.82	—	—	$20.94	—	—	—	—
GRUNDY COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL GRUNDY CENTER	$115	$10.30	$10.30	$10.30	$10.30	$56.00	$16.50	—	—
CHI HEALTH MERCY COUNCIL BLUFFS COUNCIL BLUFFS	$152	$85.81	—	$85.81	$85.81	$11.95	—	$258	$11.72
HEGG HEALTH CENTER ROCK VALLEY	$164	$85.30	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SPENCER HOSPITAL SPENCER	$170	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
AVERA HOLY FAMILY HOSPITAL ESTHERVILLE	$183	$42.82	—	—	$17.60	—	—	—	—
COMPASS MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE BOX 228	$198	$172	$78.57	$148	—	—	—	—	—
MERCYONE CLINTON CLINTON	$223	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
OTTUMWA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER PENNSYLVANIA AVE OTTUMWA	$242	$82.47	$84.10	$89.96	$629	$12.18	—	—	—
REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES OF HOWARD COUNTY CRESCO	$249	$73.00	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

What these prices are. Each figure is the facility’s own published self-pay (cash) price for CPT 99281, filed under the federal price transparency rule (45 CFR Part 180). Hospital facility charges may not include separate physician, anesthesia, or pathology fees. National median for this code: $183 across all reporting facilities. Dataset: Q4 2026. Always confirm the final price with the facility before booking.

Billed more than $44.80 for this?

That is the median of what the 66 Iowa hospitals above publish for Emergency department visit for problem that may not require health care professi… — their own figures, filed under federal law. A bill well above them is evidence you can put in writing.

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Medicare reimbursement benchmark

For CPT 99281 in Iowa, Medicare reimburses about $10.28 on the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (non-facility, state average across localities). Hospital cash prices for the same code in Iowa range from $12.88 to $685 — that means hospital cash prices are typically 4.4x what Medicare pays. If a self-pay quote you receive is more than 2-3x the Medicare rate, ask the hospital for the cash-discount price in writing.

Frequently asked questions

How much does emergency department visit for problem that may not require health care professi… cost in Iowa?: Cash prices for emergency department visit for problem that may not require health care professi… (CPT 99281) in Iowa range from $12.88 to $685, with a median of $44.80. Prices vary widely by hospital.
Where can I find the cheapest emergency department visit for problem that may not require health care professi… in Iowa?: The cheapest Iowa hospital published cash price for this procedure is $12.88. Use the table above sorted by cash price to find the lowest-priced facility near you.
Are these the prices I'll pay?: These are the rates hospitals publish. Final price depends on your insurance, deductible, and the specific services billed. Always confirm with the facility and your insurer before any procedure.
Why do prices vary so much between hospitals?: Hospitals set cash prices independently, and insurance contracts negotiate different rates per payer. Two facilities a few miles apart can charge 5-10x different prices for the same procedure.
Where does this data come from?: Federal law (45 CFR § 180) requires hospitals to publish their pricing in a machine-readable file. We aggregate these files and republish in a consumer-friendly format.

Emergency department visit for problem that may not require health care professi… in nearby states

Other procedures in Iowa

Methodology. Cash prices and insurance-negotiated rates published by each Iowa facility under federal price transparency rules (45 CFR § 180). CPT code 99281 (Doctor Visits). Data refreshed regularly; verify with the facility before any procedure.