Esophagus stretching in Iowa
Below is what hospitals in Iowa charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 25 hospitals in Iowa run from $366 to $3,854. The typical hospital charges $2,417. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,417
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
26 hospitals. Sort by: Cash price ▲ · Negotiated median · Gross charge · Negotiated low
What these numbers mean.
Cash price is what the hospital lists for patients paying out of pocket.
Negotiated median is the middle of what insurance companies actually agreed to pay.
Gross charge is the sticker price — almost nobody pays it.
What you will actually pay is usually different from both numbers:
with insurance, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance decides what you owe —
the negotiated rate is what the insurer pays, not your bill.
A single line item may not be the whole cost: physician, anesthesia, pathology,
and facility fees can be billed separately.
Prices vary by hospital and change over time; always confirm with the hospital before you go.
| Hospital | Cash price | Where it sits | Insurance pays (typical) | Gross charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange City Area Health System IA · Price file September 23, 2026 | $366Insurance typically pays $299Sticker price $458 | Lowest price of any hospital | $299 | $458 |
| Boone County Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $400Insurance typically pays $211Sticker price $500 | Cheaper than 96% of hospitals | $211 | $500 |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center IA · Price file March 31, 2026 | $558Insurance typically pays $75Sticker price $558 | Cheaper than 92% of hospitals | $75 | $558 |
| Jefferson County Health Center IA · Price file August 20, 2026 | $748Insurance typically pays $127Sticker price $1,247 | Cheaper than 88% of hospitals | $127 | $1,247 |
| Shenandoah Medical Center IA · Price file September 21, 2026 | $1,523Insurance typically pays $755Sticker price $2,343 | Cheaper than 83% of hospitals | $755 | $2,343 |
| Cass County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 1, 2026 | $1,524Insurance typically pays $237Sticker price $2,177 | Cheaper than 79% of hospitals | $237 | $2,177 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion IA · Price file June 11, 2026 | $2,054Insurance typically pays $243Sticker price $3,423 | Cheaper than 75% of hospitals | $243 | $3,423 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond IA · Price file April 22, 2026 | $2,054Insurance typically pays $198Sticker price $3,423 | Cheaper than 75% of hospitals | $198 | $3,423 |
| Adair County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file September 2, 2026 | $2,278Insurance typically pays $1,859Sticker price $3,038 | Cheaper than 67% of hospitals | $1,859 | $3,038 |
| Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Finley Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Trinity Muscatine IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Jones Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| St Lukes Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Allen Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,417Insurance typically pays $598Sticker price $3,022 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $598 | $3,022 |
| Madison County Health Care System IA · Price file October 21, 2026 | $2,438Insurance typically pays $2,264Sticker price $3,048 | Pricier than 79% of hospitals | $2,264 | $3,048 |
| Virginia Gay Hospital IA · Price file August 13, 2026 | $2,558Insurance typically pays $222Sticker price $3,197 | Pricier than 83% of hospitals | $222 | $3,197 |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital IA | $2,682Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $3,353 | Pricier than 88% of hospitals | — | $3,353 |
| Van Diest Medical Center IA · Price file November 12, 2022 | $2,690Insurance typically pays $269Sticker price $3,362 | Pricier than 92% of hospitals | $269 | $3,362 |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home IA · Price file November 3, 2026 | $3,390Insurance typically pays $202Sticker price $3,390 | Pricier than 96% of hospitals | $202 | $3,390 |
| Guthrie County Hospital IA · Price file September 26, 2026 | $3,854Insurance typically pays $129Sticker price $3,854 | Highest price of any hospital | $129 | $3,854 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center IA · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $30,089 | — | — | $30,089 |
Procedure code 43249. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.