Stitches, 1 to 3 inch cut cost in California

In California, 147 hospitals publish a cash price for stitches for a cut 2.6 to 7.5 cm (1 to 3 inches), simple repair, scalp, body, arms or legs: from $35.52 to $2,444.00, with a median of $748.80. The lowest price is at Redlands Community Hospital (Redlands). The highest price is 68.8× the lowest.

• The median here, $748.80, is 121% above the US median of $339.30.
• That is 3.7× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($204.98).
• California ranks 48th of 49 states by median, cheapest first.
• 34 of 147 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 12002. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 8, 2026. See them on a map