Critical care (first hour) cost in Washington, DC
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 7 hospitals list a cash price for critical care, first 30 to 74 minutes: from $230.50 to $2,661.00, with a median of $2,535.00. The lowest listed price is at Jefferson Medical Center — $2,304.50 less than the median here.
Cash prices at 7 facilities across 6 cities for code 99291, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Medical Center lowest Ranson, WV · (304) 728-1600 CRITICAL CARE FIRST HOUR | $230.50 | $461.00 | $25.00 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fairfax Hospital Falls Church, VA · (703) 698-1110 HC E&M CC 30-74MIN | $2,535.00 | $5,070.00 | $842.61–$6,256.22 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Loudoun Hospital Leesburg, VA · (703) 858-6600 HC E&M CC 30-74MIN | $2,535.00 | $5,070.00 | $842.61–$6,256.22 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Fairfax, VA · (703) 391-4170 HC E&M CC 30-74MIN | $2,535.00 | $5,070.00 | $842.61–$6,256.22 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 664-7105 HC E&M CC 30-74MIN | $2,535.00 | $5,070.00 | $842.61–$6,256.22 | 50% | — source file |
| Inova Alexandria Hospital Alexandria, VA · (703) 504-3167 HC E&M CC 30-74MIN | $2,535.00 | $5,070.00 | $842.61–$6,256.22 | 50% | — source file |
| Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center Woodbridge, VA · (703) 523-1000 Ed Critical Care 30-74 Minutes | $2,661.00 | $5,322.00 | — | 50% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $230.50, median $2,535.00, highest $2,661.00 — a 11.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 6 facilities here, median $2,535.00. 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 5 of 6 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.