Nutrition counseling cost in Fargo, ND — inpatient
In Fargo, ND-MN, 2 hospitals list a cash price for nutrition counseling (medical nutrition therapy), first visit, 15 minutes as an inpatient: from $51.75 to $68.00, with a median of $59.88. The lowest listed price is at Essentia Health Fargo — $8.13 less than the median here. Across North Dakota, the median is $84.10 at 7 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 97802, 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 NUTRITION EDUCATION | $51.75 | $69.00 | $29.59–$58.65 | 25% | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Fargo Medical Center Fargo, ND · (701) 234-2000 MNT INITIAL INDIVIDUAL15 MIN | $68.00 | $85.00 | $46.75–$76.50 | 20% | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $51.75, median $59.88, highest $68.00 — a 1.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $59.88 — 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
Medical nutrition therapy is counseling by a registered dietitian for conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.
What the price covers
The price is for one 15-minute unit; a session usually includes several units and codes.