PT evaluation, low complexity cost in Fargo, ND — inpatient
In Fargo, ND-MN, 2 hospitals list a cash price for physical therapy evaluation, low complexity (typically about 20 minutes) as an inpatient: from $171.00 to $252.80, with a median of $211.90. The lowest listed price is at Essentia Health Fargo — $40.90 less than the median here. Across North Dakota, the median is $252.80 at 9 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 97161, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2026 and Mar 4, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Fargo, ND-MN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essentia Health Fargo lowest Fargo, ND · (701) 364-8000 PHYSICAL THERAPY EVALUATION LOW COMPLEX | $171.00 | $228.00 | $97.79–$193.80 | 25% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Fargo Medical Center Fargo, ND · (701) 234-2000 PT EVAL LOW COMPLEXITY 97161 | $252.80 | $316.00 | $173.80–$284.40 | 20% | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $171.00, median $211.90, highest $252.80 — a 1.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $211.90 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This is a first physical therapy evaluation of low complexity, typically about 20 minutes face to face. It is used for a stable problem with few other health factors, and ends with a plan of care.
What the price covers
The price covers the evaluation, billed once per evaluation rather than in time units. Treatment on the same day, such as therapeutic exercise or manual therapy, is billed separately in 15-minute units.