Level 1 ER visit cost in Iowa
In Iowa, 37 hospitals publish a cash price for emergency room visit, level 1 of 5, minor problem that may not need a doctor: from $24.00 to $684.82, with a median of $40.80. The lowest price is at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center (Des Moines) and 2 other hospitals. The highest price is 28.5× the lowest.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 99281. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 23, 2026.
Lowest$24.00MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center + 2 more
Median$40.80half pay less
Highest$684.82in Iowa
Lowest saves$16.80vs the median
Hospitals in Iowa, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center lowest Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA PR Emergency Dept Visit May Not Require Presence of Phys/Qhp | $24.00 | $24.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center lowest Mason City · Mason City, IA PR Emergency Dept Visit May Not Require Presence of Phys/Qhp | $24.00 | $24.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center lowest Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA PR Emergency Dept Visit May Not Require Presence of Phys/Qhp | $24.00 | $24.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health - Mercy Hospital, Corning Iowa Corning · Corning, IA PC EVALUATION MANAGEMENT 1 | $29.28 | $61.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Alegent Health Community Memorial Hospital of Missouri Valley, Iowa Missouri Valley · Omaha, NE-IA PC EVALUATION MANAGEMENT 1 | $29.89 | $61.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Central Community Hospital Elkader · Elkader, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 (Restricted Method II CAH) | $35.10 | $54.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Dyersville Dyersville · Dubuque, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 (Restricted Method II CAH) | $35.10 | $54.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - New Hampton New Hampton · New Hampton, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 (Restricted Method II CAH) | $35.10 | $54.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center Oelwein · Oelwein, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 (Restricted Method II CAH) | $35.10 | $54.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL GHS SUTURE REMOVAL | $40.20 | $67.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Allen Hospital Waterloo · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center Grinnell · Grinnell, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Luke's Methodist Hospital Cedar Rapids · Cedar Rapids, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Luke'sJones Regional Medical Center Anamosa · Cedar Rapids, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center Sioux City · Sioux City, IA-NE-SD PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| The Finley Hospital Dubuque · Dubuque, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity Medical Center Bettendorf · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center Fort Dodge · Fort Dodge, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Unity Healthcare Muscatine · Muscatine, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health Marshalltown Marshalltown · Marshalltown, IA PR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT MAY NOT REQ PHYS/QHP | $40.80 | $51.00 | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center Davenport · Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL GHS SUTURE REMOVAL | $48.60 | $81.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Genesis DeWitt Medical Center Dewitt · Clinton, IA GHS SUTURE REMOVAL | $48.60 | $81.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Centerville Centerville · Centerville, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 (Restricted Method II CAH) | $54.00 | $54.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center Storm Lake · Storm Lake, IA HC ED LEVEL 1 INIT ASSESS | $56.00 | $70.00 | — source file |
| Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA Level 1 - Lynx Visit Level | $70.80 | $236.00 | Feb 15, 2026 source file |
| Winneshiek Medical Center Decorah · Decorah, IA Emergency department visit for problem that may not require health care professional | $101.50 | $145.00 | Jul 17, 2026 source file |
| Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinic West Union · West Union, IA HCHG 99281 EMERGENCY SERVICE I | $111.08 | $187.00 | Jun 27, 2026 source file |
| CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs Council Bluffs · Omaha, NE-IA HC EMR DPT VST MAYX REQ PHY/QHP | $152.46 | $363.00 | Feb 28, 2026 source file |
| Avera Holy Family Hospital Estherville · Estherville, IA | $183.33 | $189.00 | — source file |
| MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton · Clinton, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 | $222.95 | $343.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Dubuque Dubuque · Dubuque, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 | $253.50 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sartori Memorial Hospital Cedar Falls · Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 Sane_Safe | $273.00 | $420.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Sanford Sheldon Medical Center Sheldon · Sheldon, IA ED 99281 EMER CASE LEVEL I | $301.60 | $377.00 | Mar 4, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 Sane_Safe | $341.25 | $525.00 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa West Des Moines · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HC ED Type a Level 1 | $624.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Avera Merrill Pioneer Rock Rapids · Rock Rapids, IA | $684.82 | $706.00 | — source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 4 | $24.00 | $191.02 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 3 | $40.20 | $40.80 |
| Dubuque, IA | 3 | $35.10 | $40.80 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 3 | $29.89 | $70.80 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 3 | $24.00 | $40.80 |
| Clinton, IA | 2 | $48.60 | $135.78 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $40.80 | $40.80 |
| Centerville, IA | 1 | $54.00 | $54.00 |
| Corning, IA | 1 | $29.28 | $29.28 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 1 | $40.80 | $40.80 |
| Decorah, IA | 1 | $101.50 | $101.50 |
| Elkader, IA | 1 | $35.10 | $35.10 |
| Estherville, IA | 1 | $183.33 | $183.33 |
| Fort Dodge, IA | 1 | $40.80 | $40.80 |
| Grinnell, IA | 1 | $40.80 | $40.80 |
| Marshalltown, IA | 1 | $40.80 | $40.80 |
| Mason City, IA | 1 | $24.00 | $24.00 |
| Muscatine, IA | 1 | $40.80 | $40.80 |
| New Hampton, IA | 1 | $35.10 | $35.10 |
| Oelwein, IA | 1 | $35.10 | $35.10 |
| Rock Rapids, IA | 1 | $684.82 | $684.82 |
| Sheldon, IA | 1 | $301.60 | $301.60 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 1 | $40.80 | $40.80 |
| Storm Lake, IA | 1 | $56.00 | $56.00 |
| West Union, IA | 1 | $111.08 | $111.08 |
What it is
This is the lowest of five emergency department visit levels, used for a minor problem that needs little care. Since 2023 this level may apply even when no physician or similar clinician needs to see the patient. The level is assigned after the visit: doctors pick it by the complexity of their medical decision making, and hospitals pick the facility level by the care and resources used, so a patient cannot choose it in advance.
What the price covers
The hospital price for this code is the facility fee for the ER visit. The emergency physician bills separately, and lab tests, imaging, medicines and procedures are added on top.
Emergency room visit, level 1 of 5, minor problem that may not need a doctor in other states
- Alabama$347.09
- Alaska$220.61
- Arizona$327.57
- Arkansas$117.00
- California$420.68
- Colorado$303.71
- Connecticut$113.08
- Delaware$408.02
- Florida$283.20
- Georgia$224.25
- Hawaii$289.50
- Idaho$383.00
- Illinois$165.60
- Indiana$176.18
- Kansas$181.44
- Kentucky$342.67
- Louisiana$56.80
- Maine$73.44
- Maryland$120.53
- Massachusetts$364.00
- Michigan$126.54
- Minnesota$205.28
- Mississippi$92.40
- Missouri$112.45
- Montana$72.60
- Nebraska$126.48
- Nevada$107.60
- New Hampshire$118.35
- New Jersey$117.49
- New Mexico$125.70
- New York$134.00
- North Carolina$178.33
- North Dakota$184.23
- Ohio$292.80
- Oklahoma$141.62
- Oregon$103.10
- Pennsylvania$252.60
- Rhode Island$314.40
- South Carolina$284.00
- South Dakota$296.00
- Tennessee$97.32
- Texas$239.79
- Utah$408.71
- Vermont$36.00
- Virginia$152.40
- Washington$234.36
- West Virginia$146.00
- Wisconsin$110.50
- Wyoming$260.82
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.