Level 1 ER visit cost in Waco, TX — inpatient
In Waco, TX, 2 hospitals list a cash price for emergency room visit, level 1 of 5, minor problem that may not need a doctor as an inpatient: from $176.22 to $312.33, with a median of $244.28. The lowest listed price is at Ascension Providence — $68.06 less than the median here. Across Texas, the median is $239.79 at 98 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 99281, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jun 13, 2026 and Jun 13, 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 Waco, TX.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension Providence lowest Waco, TX · (254) 751-4000 MED LEVEL 1 MINOR | $176.22 | $489.50 | $21.40–$621.00 | 64% | — source file |
| Ascension Providence lowest Waco, TX · (254) 751-4000 NURSING ASSESSMENT AT TRIAGE | $176.22 | $489.50 | $21.40–$489.50 | 64% | — source file |
| Ascension Providence lowest Waco, TX · (254) 751-4000 NURSING ASSESSMENT AT TRIAGE | $176.22 | $489.50 | $21.40–$489.50 | 64% | — source file |
| Ascension Providence Waco, TX · (254) 751-4000 E/D LEVEL 1 MINOR | $248.40 | $690.00 | $21.40–$621.00 | 64% | — source file |
| Ascension Providence Waco, TX · (254) 751-4000 MED LEVEL 1 MINOR | $248.40 | $690.00 | $21.40–$621.00 | 64% | — source file |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Hillcrest Waco, TX · (254) 202-2000 HC EMERGENCY DEPT LEVEL I | $312.33 | $520.55 | $171.78–$364.38 | 40% | Jun 13, 2026 source file |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Hillcrest Waco, TX · (254) 202-2000 HC FOLLOW UP RESEARCH STUDY | $312.33 | $520.55 | $171.78–$364.38 | 40% | Jun 13, 2026 source file |
| Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Hillcrest Waco, TX · (254) 202-2000 HC OB EMERGENCY CARE LEVEL I | $312.33 | $520.55 | $171.78–$364.38 | 40% | Jun 13, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $176.22, median $244.28, highest $312.33 — a 1.8× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $244.28 — 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 the lowest of five emergency department visit levels, used for a minor problem that needs little care. Since 2023 this level may apply even when no physician or similar clinician needs to see the patient. The level is assigned after the visit: doctors pick it by the complexity of their medical decision making, and hospitals pick the facility level by the care and resources used, so a patient cannot choose it in advance.
What the price covers
The hospital price for this code is the facility fee for the ER visit. The emergency physician bills separately, and lab tests, imaging, medicines and procedures are added on top.