The average cost for the use of the emergency room in a hospital today is roughly $400. This does not include the additional tests, blood work, and x-rays that are typically included in an average emergency room visit.
More than 100 million people visit the ER every year, and almost half of those visits are classified as non-urgent cases that could have been treated in a doctor’s office (a doctor’s office visit averages about $60). Visiting the emergency room, one of the most expensive units in the hospital, for a non-emergency not only takes doctors and nurses away from actual emergencies, but also makes the patient end up paying up to ten times more than they would have at a doctor’s office. It’s a cycle that keeps insurance premiums high as well as ER costs. In addition, the average wait time of an emergency room is two hours, while the average wait time in the doctor’s office is 45 minutes.
How Much You Can Expect to Pay
The cost of hospital care depends on a variety of things, including the city, state, and treatment. The US average for an ER visit (just the visit) is $400. Once tests are taken, blood work is done, and prescriptions are filled, that cost usually doubles or triples.
To treat a heart attack, for example, the average costs are about $20,000. Some public hospitals in New Jersey cost $5,000 a day. In California, an appendectomy is about $18,000. In Utah, you can expect to pay about $1,000 for blood work and an EKG in the hospital. In Florida, the average cost for knee surgery is over $4,000. So costs vary widely depending on the treatment and locale.
Outpatient hospital services are also very expensive and are considered the fastest-growing part of healthcare costs. Outpatient hospital services are those that take place in the hospital, but the patient is not admitted for overnight. These services can include ultrasounds, ECG and EKGs, X-rays, and various exams and blood work.
Why Is It So Expensive?
The cost for visiting the hospital has skyrocketed in recent years. Outpatient care grew by about 15 percent in one year, while inpatient hospital costs (this includes anything requiring a patient to stay overnight) rose by around 6 percent. Inpatient increases are most often due to nursing shortages, which has resulted in higher labor costs; technology and testing equipment that is more advanced and therefore more expensive; and higher hospital admission costs.
What You Can Do
If you require hospital services, there are a number of things you can do.
Find out how much insurance will cover. The average co-pay for emergency room visits is around $50. That means if you have insurance with a $50 emergency care co-pay, you can go to the ER, receive tests and treatment, and end up paying only $50. Stay informed when it comes to your benefits.
Keep detailed records. Make note of who saw you and what tests were run. When you receive your bill, go over it carefully. Make sure the dates are correct and verify you actually received the services you’re being charged for. If any charges as noted as “miscellaneous,” ask about them. If you notice discrepancies or have questions, the hospital’s accounting office or the number on the bill can help.
Hospital care is expensive, and the costs are only rising. In order for you to cut your hospital care costs, it pays to be well-informed and to keep accurate records.