Critical care (first hour) cost in Iowa City, IA — inpatient
In Iowa City, IA, 2 hospitals list a cash price for critical care, first 30 to 74 minutes as an inpatient: from $579.75 to $3,701.60, with a median of $2,140.68. The lowest listed price is at Washington County Hospital — $1,560.93 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $881.36 at 78 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 99291, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 11, 2026 and Sep 8, 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 Iowa City, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County Hospital lowest Washington, IA · (319) 653-5481 Critical care, first 30-74 minutes | $579.75 | $773.00 | $286.01–$749.81 | 25% | Sep 8, 2026 source file |
| State University of Iowa Iowa City, IA · (319) 356-1616 HB ER VISIT, LEVEL 6, CRITICAL CARE INITIAL 30-74 MINUTES (99291) | $3,701.60 | $5,288.00 | $1,322.00–$4,864.96 | 30% | Mar 11, 2026 source file |
| State University of Iowa Iowa City, IA · (319) 356-1616 HB ER VISIT, LEVEL 6, CRITICAL CARE INITIAL 30-74 MINUTES (99291) | $3,701.60 | $5,288.00 | $1,322.00–$4,864.96 | 30% | Mar 11, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $579.75, median $2,140.68, highest $3,701.60 — a 6.4× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $2,140.68 — 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 code bills care for a life-threatening illness or injury for the first 30 to 74 minutes. It appears on emergency department bills after serious cases and in intensive care.
What the price covers
The price is the hospital's charge. Additional half hours use 99292, and the doctor bills separately.