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Cash prices California Outpatient

Stitches cost in California without insurance

In California, the median cash price for Stitches, small wound is $551.20 across 167 hospitals, from $33.36 to $2,444.00. The lowest is at Redlands Community Hospital (Redlands). The US median is $307.12.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

Stitches are billed by the length of the cut, where it is, and how complex the repair is. A simple repair closes one layer of skin; an intermediate repair closes deeper layers or cleans a dirty wound. The biggest price difference is where you go: an emergency department adds an ER visit fee on top of the repair, while urgent care clinics usually charge much less for the same cut.

Collected Nov 8, 2026 One price per hospital: its lowest outpatient cash price for the code

Stitches prices in California by type

12001 is a simple repair up to 2.5 cm on the scalp, body, arms or legs and is used in the state table; 12002 is 2.6 to 7.5 cm; 12011 is up to 2.5 cm on the face; and 12031 is a layered repair up to 2.5 cm. Glue and staples are billed with the same codes.

ProcedureHospitalsRangeMedianUS median
Stitches, small wound Simple repair of a superficial wound 2.5 cm or less, scalp, neck, body or limbs · code 12001 167 $33.36–$2,444.00 $551.20 $307.12
Stitches, 1 to 3 inch cut Stitches for a cut 2.6 to 7.5 cm (1 to 3 inches), simple repair, scalp, body, arms or legs · code 12002 147 $35.52–$2,444.00 $748.80 $339.30
Face stitches, up to 1 inch Stitches for a cut on the face up to 2.5 cm (1 inch), simple repair · code 12011 140 $45.00–$14,256.20 $660.40 $326.10
Layered stitches, up to 1 inch Layered stitches for a cut up to 2.5 cm, intermediate repair, scalp, body, arms or legs · code 12031 149 $103.43–$9,818.18 $868.35 $516.00
Procedure The service and its billing code (CPT or HCPCS). Opens the comparison of every hospital that prices it. More
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Middle 80% Cash prices of most hospitals: a tenth of hospitals charge less than the first number (P10), a tenth charge more than the second (P90). More
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
US median The median cash price across all US hospitals that publish one for this code.

Outpatient cash prices in California. 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 state.

Lowest Stitches, small wound prices in California

Stitches cost by metro area in California

Stitches cost in other states

Paying cash: what to do

  • For a cut that is not bleeding heavily, an urgent care clinic is usually far cheaper than an emergency department.
  • Ask whether the price includes the visit fee, supplies and a tetanus shot if you need one.
  • Keep the wound clean and dry for the first day and follow the instructions for stitch removal, which may be a separate visit.