ER visit cost in San Diego, CA without insurance
In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area, the median cash price for Level 3 ER visit is $1,500.00 across 11 hospitals. The lowest, $349.00, is at Paradise Valley Hospital (National City). The US median is $565.60.
The ER visit price is the hospital's facility fee for one emergency department visit, set by one of five levels (99281–99285) that reflect how complex the care was. The emergency physician bills separately, and lab tests, imaging, medicines and procedures are added on top. In an emergency, go to the nearest ER or call 911: under the federal EMTALA law, hospital emergency departments must screen and stabilize anyone regardless of ability to pay.
Collected Sep 25, 2026 One price per hospital: its lowest outpatient cash price for the code
ER visit prices in San Diego, CA by type
The level is assigned after the visit based on how complex the evaluation and treatment were, so it cannot be chosen in advance. Level 3 (99283) is a common middle level and is used in the state table; a minor problem is usually level 1 or 2, and a serious illness that leads to admission is usually level 5.
| Procedure | Hospitals | Lowest | Median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 ER visit Emergency room visit, level 1 of 5, minor problem that may not need a doctor · code 99281 | 11 | $107.00 | $420.68 | $192.08 |
| Level 2 ER visit Emergency room visit, level 2 of 5, straightforward problem · code 99282 | 11 | $196.00 | $1,050.00 | $332.44 |
| Level 3 ER visit Emergency room visit, level 3 of 5, low-complexity problem · code 99283 | 11 | $349.00 | $1,500.00 | $565.60 |
| Level 4 ER visit Emergency room visit, level 4 of 5, moderate-complexity problem · code 99284 | 11 | $534.00 | $2,550.00 | $907.84 |
| Level 5 ER visit Emergency room visit, level 5 of 5, high-complexity problem · code 99285 | 11 | $762.00 | $4,050.00 | $1,370.43 |
Outpatient cash prices in San Diego, CA. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest cash price for the code; prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Pick a procedure to compare every hospital in the area.
Lowest Level 3 ER visit prices in San Diego, CA
- Paradise Valley Hospital, National City$349.00
- Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa, San Diego$1,207.96
- Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion, San Diego$1,207.96
- Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos, San Marcos$1,207.96
- Tri-City Medical Center, Oceanside$1,380.00
ER visit cost in other areas nearby
- Eureka, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Riverside, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Vallejo, CA
Paying cash: what to do
- Ask for an itemized bill with CPT codes, and check the visit level against the prices on this page.
- Ask for the hospital's financial assistance application; nonprofit hospitals must have a written policy and cannot charge eligible patients more than they generally bill insured patients.
- The emergency physician group sends its own bill, so ask it separately for a self-pay discount and a payment plan.