Critical care (first hour) cost in Pittsburgh, PA — inpatient
In Pittsburgh, PA, 11 hospitals list a cash price for critical care, first 30 to 74 minutes as an inpatient: from $1,153.20 to $6,120.60, with a median of $2,577.00. The lowest listed price is at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital — $1,423.80 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $1,845.67 at 58 hospitals.
Cash prices at 11 facilities across 6 cities for code 99291, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Mar 6, 2026 and Mar 6, 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 Pittsburgh, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital lowest Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 641-4010 HC CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $1,153.20 | $1,922.00 | $691.92–$1,768.24 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA · (724) 656-4100 CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $1,378.20 | $2,297.00 | $1,722.75–$2,021.36 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC East Monroeville, PA · (412) 357-3000 CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $1,501.80 | $2,503.00 | $851.02–$2,002.40 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Passavant - McCandless Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 367-6700 HC CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $1,918.20 | $3,197.00 | $1,150.92–$2,973.21 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 692-5325 CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $2,015.40 | $3,359.00 | $1,343.60–$3,023.10 | 40% | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| UPMC St Margaret Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 784-4000 CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $2,577.00 | $4,295.00 | $1,120.99–$3,650.75 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC McKeesport McKeesport, PA · (412) 664-2000 CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $2,662.80 | $4,438.00 | $1,539.99–$3,772.30 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 232-8111 CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $3,476.40 | $5,794.00 | $1,772.96–$5,214.60 | 40% | — source file |
| UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 647-2345 CRITICAL CARE - FIRST 30-74MIN | $4,768.80 | $7,948.00 | $5,166.20–$6,755.80 | 40% | Mar 6, 2026 source file |
| Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 CRITICAL CARE 1ST HR | $6,120.60 | $10,201.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Monogahela Valley Hospital Monongahela, PA · (724) 258-1000 ED CRITICAL CARE UP TO 74MIN | $6,120.60 | $10,201.00 | $4,590.45 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,153.20, median $2,577.00, highest $6,120.60 — a 5.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $2,296.20 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 9 of 10 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 2 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 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.