Level 5 ER visit cost in Charlotte, NC
In Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, 16 hospitals list a cash price for emergency room visit, level 5 of 5, high-complexity problem: from $634.23 to $3,289.00, with a median of $1,682.03. The lowest listed price is at Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital — $1,047.80 less than the median here. Across North Carolina, the median is $1,682.03 at 37 hospitals.
Cash prices at 16 facilities across 13 cities for code 99285, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Dec 1, 2025 and Sep 1, 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital lowest Mooresville, NC · (704) 660-4000 ED Visit Level 5 | $634.23 | $2,349.00 | $1,127.52–$1,170.66 | 73% | — source file |
| Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital lowest Mooresville, NC · (704) 660-4000 ED Visit Level 5 | $634.23 | $2,349.00 | $810.41–$1,170.66 | 73% | — source file |
| Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital lowest Mooresville, NC · (704) 660-4000 HC ED VISIT LEVEL 5 | $634.23 | $2,349.00 | $206.24–$3,885.00 | 73% | — source file |
| MUSC Chester Regional Medical Center Chester, SC · (803) 581-3151 HB ER VISIT COMPREHENSIVE | $1,291.50 | $2,583.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte, NC · (704) 355-2000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $75.38–$3,027.65 | 50% | Dec 5, 2025 source file |
| Carolinas Rehabilitation Charlotte, NC HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $625.36–$3,094.93 | 50% | Dec 5, 2025 source file |
| Carolinas Rehabilitation Belmont, NC HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $625.36–$3,094.93 | 50% | Dec 5, 2025 source file |
| Atrium Health Anson Wadesboro, NC · (704) 694-5131 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $503.26–$3,195.85 | 50% | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast Concord, NC · (704) 783-3000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $412.77–$3,195.85 | 50% | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Atrium Health Lincoln Lincolnton, NC · (980) 212-2000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $379.46–$3,195.85 | 50% | Dec 1, 2025 source file |
| Atrium Health Union Monroe, NC · (704) 283-3100 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $437.33–$3,195.85 | 50% | Dec 4, 2025 source file |
| Atrium Health Pineville Charlotte, NC · (704) 379-5000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $336.41–$3,094.93 | 50% | Dec 5, 2025 source file |
| Atrium Health Pineville Charlotte, NC · (704) 379-5000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $336.41–$3,263.13 | 50% | Dec 5, 2025 source file |
| Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte, NC · (704) 355-2000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $75.38–$3,027.65 | 50% | Dec 4, 2025 source file |
| Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte, NC · (704) 355-2000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $75.38–$3,094.93 | 50% | Dec 4, 2025 source file |
| Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte, NC · (704) 355-2000 HC ER LEVEL 5 VISIT HIGH SEVERITY&THREAT FUNC | $1,682.03 | $3,364.05 | $629.08–$3,364.05 | 50% | Dec 4, 2025 source file |
| MUSC Lancaster Medical Center Lancaster, SC · (803) 286-1481 HB ER VISIT COMPREHENSIVE | $1,952.00 | $3,904.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Amisub of South Carolina Rock Hill, SC OB ER VISIT LVL V | $2,762.25 | $3,683.00 | $0.29–$1,994.00 | 25% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Amisub of South Carolina Fort Mill, SC OB ER VISIT LVL V | $2,762.25 | $3,683.00 | $0.29–$1,994.00 | 25% | Apr 15, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Belmont, NC HCHG OB ED LEV V | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Belmont, NC HCHG TRAUMA PT/ER LEVEL 5 | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Gastonia, NC HCHG TRAUMA PT/ER LEVEL 5 | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Gastonia, NC HCHG OB ED LEV V W MOD | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Gastonia, NC HCHG OB ED LEV V | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Mount Holly, NC HCHG EMERGENCY DEPT LEVEL V | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Mount Holly, NC HCHG OB ED LEV V | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Mount Holly, NC HCHG OB ED LEV V W MOD | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Mount Holly, NC HCHG TRAUMA PT/ER LEVEL 5 | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Belmont, NC HCHG EMERGENCY DEPT LEVEL V | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Belmont, NC HCHG OB ED LEV V W MOD | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Gastonia, NC HCHG EMERGENCY DEPT LEVEL V | $3,289.00 | $3,289.00 | $494.99–$4,480.00 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Amisub of South Carolina Fort Mill, SC ER VISIT LVL V | $4,026.00 | $5,368.00 | $0.29–$1,994.00 | 25% | Apr 15, 2026 source file |
| Amisub of South Carolina Rock Hill, SC ER VISIT LVL V | $4,026.00 | $5,368.00 | $0.29–$1,994.00 | 25% | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Belmont, NC HCHG ALERT WO EMS+ED LEVEL 5 | $5,889.00 | $5,889.00 | $608.43–$5,594.55 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Gastonia, NC HCHG ALERT WO EMS+ED LEVEL 5 | $5,889.00 | $5,889.00 | $608.43–$5,594.55 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Mount Holly, NC HCHG ALERT WO EMS+ED LEVEL 5 | $5,889.00 | $5,889.00 | $608.43–$5,594.55 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Belmont, NC HCHG CODE 1 WO EMS+ED LEVEL 5 | $13,843.00 | $13,843.00 | $608.43–$13,150.85 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Mount Holly, NC HCHG CODE 1 WO EMS+ED LEVEL 5 | $13,843.00 | $13,843.00 | $608.43–$13,150.85 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
| Gaston Memorial Hospital Gastonia, NC HCHG CODE 1 WO EMS+ED LEVEL 5 | $13,843.00 | $13,843.00 | $608.43–$13,150.85 | — | May 11, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $634.23, median $1,682.03, highest $3,289.00 — a 5.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 16 facilities here, median $1,682.03. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 12 of 14 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 1 it is 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 highest of five emergency department visit levels, used for a serious problem that needs complex evaluation and treatment, often with a hospital admission or transfer. 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.