Critical care (first hour) cost in St. Louis, MO — inpatient
In St. Louis, MO-IL, 7 hospitals list a cash price for critical care, first 30 to 74 minutes as an inpatient: from $600.75 to $7,371.25, with a median of $1,881.36. The lowest listed price is at Mercy Hospital Lincoln and 1 other hospital — $1,280.61 less than the median here. Across Missouri, the median is $616.85 at 29 hospitals.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 7 cities for code 99291, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jun 12, 2026 and Jun 12, 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 St. Louis, MO-IL.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Critical Care Ill/Injured Patient Init 30-74 Min | $600.75 | $801.00 | $400.50–$720.90 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospitals East Communities lowest Washington, MO Critical Care Ill/Injured Patient Init 30-74 Min | $600.75 | $801.00 | $400.50–$680.85 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Critical Care Ill/Injured Patient Init 30-74 Min | $600.75 | $801.00 | $400.50–$720.90 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Critical Care Ill/Injured Patient Init 30-74 Min | $600.75 | $801.00 | $400.50–$720.90 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Critical Care Ill/Injured Patient Init 30-74 Min | $600.75 | $801.00 | $400.50–$720.90 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry, MO Critical Care Ill/Injured Patient Init 30-74 Min | $600.75 | $801.00 | $400.50–$720.90 | 25% | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Hshs Holy Family Hospital Greenville, IL · (618) 664-1230 HC CRITICAL CARE 30-74 MIN | $1,781.28 | $2,474.00 | $692.72–$2,474.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Josephs Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis Highland, IL · (618) 651-2600 HC CRITICAL CARE 30-74 MIN | $1,881.36 | $2,613.00 | $522.60–$2,613.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Josephs Hospital Hospital Sisters Third Order of St Francis Breese, IL · (618) 526-4511 HC CRITICAL CARE 30-74 MIN | $2,072.16 | $2,878.00 | $805.84–$2,878.00 | 28% | — source file |
| St Elizabeths Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis O'Fallon, IL HC CRITICAL CARE 30-74 MIN | $5,948.64 | $8,262.00 | $879.72–$8,262.00 | 28% | — source file |
| Gateway Regional Medical Center one side Granite City, IL · (618) 798-3000 CRITICAL CARE LT 74M | $7,371.25 | $12,285.42 | $12,285.42 | 40% | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $600.75, median $1,881.36, highest $7,371.25 — a 12.3× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 12 facilities here, median $1,831.32 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 7 of 7 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 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.