Level 5 ER visit cost in Maryland
In Maryland, 15 hospitals publish a cash price for emergency room visit, level 5 of 5, high-complexity problem: from $132.02 to $2,610.33, with a median of $956.52. The lowest price is at Atlantic General Hospital (Berlin). The highest price is 19.8× the lowest.
- The median here, $956.52, is 38% below the US median of $1,531.15.
- That is 1.6× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($608.43).
- Maryland ranks 6th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
- 1 of 15 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Why Maryland prices look low: Maryland is the only state where a commission (the HSCRC) sets hospital rates for every payer, so its hospitals publish prices far below the rest of the country. A separate physician fee may still apply.
Maryland law (Health-General §19-214.1) requires hospitals to give free medically necessary care to patients with family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and to cut the bill by 75% up to 250% and 60% up to 300%. With medical debt above 25% of family income in a year, discounts reach up to 500%. Immigration status does not count. Ask the hospital for its financial assistance application. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 99285. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Oct 29, 2026. See them on a map
Hospitals in Maryland, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic General Hospital lowest Berlin · Ocean Pines, MD Emergency department visit for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires a medically appropriate history and/or examination and high level of medical decision making | $132.02 | $924.14 | Apr 10, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Western Maryland Cumberland · Cumberland, MD-WV CATEG 5 - COMPREHENSIVE | $783.60 | $1,306.00 | Mar 2, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Harbor Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD B CATEGORY LEVEL 5 FT | $826.97 | $843.85 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Meritus Medical Center Hagerstown · Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV HC Emergency Visit Category V - Comprehensive | $832.53 | $849.52 | Jun 10, 2026 source file |
| TidalHealth Peninsula Salisbury · Salisbury, MD HC ER-COMPREHENSIVE VISIT | $843.72 | $860.94 | Mar 19, 2026 source file |
| Frederick Health Hospital Frederick · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV PEDS ED SERVICE CLASS V | $862.40 | $880.00 | Mar 17, 2025 source file |
| MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD B CATEGORY LEVEL 5 FT | $864.78 | $882.43 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD A CATEGORY LEVEL 5 | $956.52 | $976.04 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Southern Hospital Center Clinton · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV A CATEGORY LEVEL 5 | $991.01 | $1,011.23 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISIT LEVEL V | $994.99 | $1,015.30 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar St. Mary's Hospital Leonardtown · Lexington Park, MD A CATEGORY LEVEL 5 | $1,040.56 | $1,061.80 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD B CATEGORY LEVEL 5 FT | $1,087.34 | $1,109.53 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Montgomery Medical Center Olney · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV A CATEGORY LEVEL 5 | $1,147.03 | $1,170.44 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Greater Baltimore Medical Center Towson · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC Level 5 W/ 7hrs Ecs | $1,313.46 | $1,340.27 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Union Hospital of Cecil County Elkton · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ED SERVICES,LEVEL 5,L&D TRIAGE | $2,610.33 | $2,610.33 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 6 | $826.97 | $975.76 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3 | $862.40 | $991.01 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 1 | $783.60 | $783.60 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 1 | $832.53 | $832.53 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 1 | $1,040.56 | $1,040.56 |
| Ocean Pines, MD | 1 | $132.02 | $132.02 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1 | $2,610.33 | $2,610.33 |
| Salisbury, MD | 1 | $843.72 | $843.72 |
What level 5 ER visit is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Level 5 ER visit explained.
Emergency room visit, level 5 of 5, high-complexity problem in other states
- Alabama$807.54
- Alaska$2,301.38
- Arizona$1,663.57
- Arkansas$1,052.75
- California$3,552.00
- Colorado$2,540.20
- Connecticut$3,800.50
- Delaware$2,076.26
- District of Columbia$2,747.00, 3 hospitals
- Florida$3,418.53
- Georgia$1,102.13
- Hawaii$2,703.90
- Idaho$1,832.35
- Illinois$1,597.64
- Indiana$1,748.40
- Iowa$1,048.50
- Kansas$1,317.50
- Kentucky$1,174.80
- Louisiana$533.47
- Maine$1,000.25
- Massachusetts$1,680.25
- Michigan$1,685.13
- Minnesota$1,149.18
- Mississippi$807.54
- Missouri$1,553.99
- Montana$1,281.14
- Nebraska$1,417.28
- Nevada$2,215.00
- New Hampshire$1,303.51
- New Jersey$789.28
- New Mexico$1,428.00
- New York$1,185.56
- North Carolina$1,882.80
- North Dakota$1,230.38
- Ohio$1,737.75
- Oklahoma$1,152.46
- Oregon$2,103.56
- Pennsylvania$1,598.70
- Puerto Rico$1,055.00, 4 hospitals
- Rhode Island$1,405.20
- South Carolina$2,181.00
- South Dakota$1,596.00
- Tennessee$987.63
- Texas$1,763.04
- Utah$5,057.56
- Vermont$1,351.00
- Virginia$1,433.50
- Washington$2,257.52
- West Virginia$949.00
- Wisconsin$1,466.40
- Wyoming$1,666.00
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.